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1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

u, 


HISTORY 


OF  THE 


Methodist  Episcopal  Church 


IN   THE   UNITED   STATES. 

EMBItACINO,    ALSO, 

A  Sketch  op  the  Rise  op  Methodism  in  Europe,  and  of 
ITS  Origin  and  Progress  in  Canada. 


B» 


REV.  P.  DOUGLASS   GORRIE, 

AUTHOR    OF    "CHDBCHES    AND    SECTS,"    "EPISCOPACY,"    ETC. 


NEW  YORK: 
R.  WORTHINGTON,  770  BROADWAY. 

1881. 


■«iiiiiji^iMmi|iii.iri  II 


"•*n'««i»»iw**«p»' 


ffi^sssmmmfmimi^'m^ 


BfMANUa 


r- 

r 
i. 


Copyright,  1881, 
Bt  R.  WOBTHINGTON. 


I6I0I2 


Trow's 

Printing  and  ISodkiunding  Company 

201-213  East  \2th  Street 

NKW  YORK 


^^i^ppUP 


wmm 


RECOMMENDATION. 


"  Having  examined  the  manuscript  of  the  work  entitled  :  Episcopal 
Methodism,  as  it  Was,  and  Is,  &.C.,  by  Rev.  P.  Douglass  Gorrie,  and 
believing  that  the  work  contains  much  usrful  information  in  relation 
to  the  History,  Doctrines,  and  Institutions  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church;  and  that  the  facts  therein  stated  are  correct,  so  far  as  we 
have  been  able  to  judge:  we  hereby  cheerfully  recommend  the  work 
to  the  attention  of  the  public,  and  especially  to  the  members  and 
friends  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

G.  C.  WOODRUFF, 
Presiding  Elder  of  Potsdam  District,  B.  R.  Conference. 

HIRAM  SHEPARD, 
Presiding  Elder  of  Ogdensburgh  District,  B.  R,  Conference* 


CONTENTS. 


4  «  » 


BOOK  I. 

HISTORY  OF  METHODISM. 
CHAPTER  I. 

FROM   THE    BIRTH    OF   JOHN  WESLEY,  TO  THS  INTRODUCTION  OF 
METHODISM    INTO    AMERICA. 


SECTION  I. 

Birth  of  the  Wesleys — Wesley  at  College — The  Name  Methodht 
applied  to  him  and  others — Wesley  makes  frequent  Excur- 
sions to  preach — John  and  Charles  receive  a  Call  to  go  to 
Georgia — Embark — Life  on  Sliipboard — Moravians — Arrive 
in  Georgia — John  Wesley's  Course — His  Return  to  England. 


PAOR 


i 


SECTION  II. 

Result  of  his  Visit  to  America — Meets  Peter  Bohler — Joins  a 
Religious  Society  in  Fetter  Lane — Is  Converted — Visits  Ger- 
many— Chirles  Wesley  Converted — Result  of  their  Conver- 
sion— State  of  Religion  in  England — In  the  Church — Among 
the  Dissenters — Wesley  inspired  for  his  Work — Qualifica- 
tions of  the  two  Brotliers  for  Religious  Reformers 6 


SECTION  III. 

Wesley  begins  Field  Preaching — Lays  the  Foundation  of  the  Bria-        » 
tol  Chapel — Occupies  th&   Foundry  in   London — Institutes 
Class  Meetings — Watch  Meetings — Organizes  Societies — Pre- 
pares the  General  Rules — Employs  Lay  Preqch^rs. ........     l;^ 


viii 


CONTENTS. 


SKCTION  IV. 


PAOB 


Persecution  of  the  "Wesleys  and  otiiera — Riots — Arrests — Anec- 
dotes      17 


SECTION  V. 

Success  of  tlie  Wesleys — First  Methodist  Conference — Wesley 
builds  a  School  at  Kingswood — Methodism  introduced  into 
Ireland —Persecutions — Methodism  introduced  into  Scotland    S3 


'  i 


CHAPTER  II. 

FROM    THE    INTRODUCTION    OF    METHODISM    INTO    AMERICA,   TO 

TIIK    PRESENT   TIME. 

SECTION  I. 

Arrival  of  Irish  Emigrants — Another  Arrival — Philip  Embury — 
Rebuked  by  an  Aged  Lady — Preaches — Captain  Webb^ 
Preaches  in  New  York — Visits  other  Places — The  Rigging 
Loft — John  Street  Chapel — Wesley  sends  Boardman  and  Pil- 
more — Robert  Strawbridge — Anecdote — Francis  Aabury — 
Richard  Wright — Early  Life  of  Asbury 87 

SECTION  IL 

Asbury's  Labors — Forbidden  to  preach  by  a  Clergyman — The 
Work  spreads — Thomas  liankin  arrives — First  Conference^ 
Revolutionary  War — Revival  in  Virginia — Mr.  Jarratt 48 

SECTION  in. 

Declaration  of  Independence — Asbury  fined — Garretson — Mal- 
treated— Imprisoned — Released  by  the  Governor — Another 
Arrest — Anecdote — Difficulties  about  Ordinances — Difficulties 
settled — Close  of  the  War 52 

SECTION  IV. 

Acknowledgment  of  Independence — Wesley's  Scruples  overcome— 
Dr.  Coke  ordained  for  America — Arrives — Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  organized — Asbury  elected  and  ordained — Results  of 


CONTENTS. 


ik 


Bsta — Anec- 


AMERICA,    TO 


VAGI 

Oi  ganization — Necessity  for  it — Cokosbury  Colltge — Burnt — 
Coke  returns  to  Kurope — Hostile  Feelings  of  Charles  Wefley 
— Coke  exp  ains — Title  "  Bishop"  given — Wesley's  Letter — 
New  York  City C8 

SECTION  V.     • 

Introduction  of  Methodism  into  New  England — Jesse  Lee — Ad- 
ventures in  New  England — Norwalk — P'uirfield — Stratford^ 
Boston — Boston  Common — A  Society  formed — Difficulties 
about  obtaining  a  Place  of  Worship — New  Chapel — Present 
State  of  Methodism  in  New  England 71 

SECTION  VI. 

Death  of  "Wesley — Coke  returns  to  England — Asbury's  and  Garret- 
son's  Labors — District  Conferences — Council  formed — Disor- 
ganized— First  General  Conference — "  O'Kelly"  Excitement — 
Presiding  Elders — Erection  of  Churches — Methodism  in  Maine 
— New  Hampshire — Yearly  Conferences — General  Conference 
of  1800 — Camp  Meetings — Methodism  in  Canada — General 
Conferences  of  1804-8 — Whatcoat's  Death — McKendree — 
Delegated  General  Conference — Asbury  in  Canada. ^i 

SECTION  vn. 

First  Delegated  General  Conference — War  of  1812 — American 
Preachers  in  Canada — Secession  of  "  Reformers'* — Death  of 
Coke — Death  of  Asbury — Colored  Secession — Second  General 
Conference — George  and  Roberts  elected  Bishops — Methodist 
Magazine — Missionary  Society — Colored  Secession  in  New 
York 84 


SECTION  VIIL 

Third  Delegated  General  Conference — Canadian  Matters — West- 
ern Book  Concern — Stillwell  Secession — General  Conference 
of  1824 — Soule  and  Hedding  elected — Madison  College — 
Sunday  School  Union — Petitions — Local  Preachers — "Prot- 
estant" Secession — Death  of  George — Seamen's  Mission — 
Colleges — Fifth  General  Conference — Andrew  and  Emory 
elected  Bishops — Liberia — Death  of  Cox — Colleges — Oregon 
Mission — South  American  Missions — Death  of  McKendree 
and  Emory 89 


C0NTKNT8. 


'4 


SECTION  IX. 

Sixth  General  Conforonce— Waugh,  Morris,  and  Fisk  elected 
Bi.-liop8— Shivery  Discussion— O.  Scott— Winans — Weekly 
I'apers — Uliick  River  CtHifi-rencii— Missionaries — German 
Mission— Nast — Centenary  of  Methodism — General  Con- 
ference, 184U— Visitors— Abolitionists— Slavery  in  Methodist 
Episcopal  Churcli  —  Extract  —  Zion's  Watchman  —  Scott, 
Storrs,  Sunderland— Wesleyan  Secession-"  Spiritual  Knoc!:- 
ings" — Results  of  the  Secession 


fAoa 


96 


SECTION  X. 

General  Conference  of  1844— Death  of  Roberts— Ilamline  and 
Janes  elected  Bisliops — Slavery — Harding — Bishop  Aniirew 
— Resolution— Protest — Reply — Plan  of  Separation — Sixth 
Restrictive  Rule— Course  (tf  Southern  Delegates — Louisville 
Convention  —  Southern  (Jcneral  Conference  —  Capers  and 
Paine  elected  Bishops — Soule  adiieres  to  the  South — Com- 
missioners appointed — Violence  of  Feeling — Action  of  Annual 
Conferences 105 

SECTION  XI. 

General  Conference,  1848— Dr.  Dixon— Dr.  Pierce— Southern 
Commissioners — Provision  for  a  Settlement  of  Claims — Law 
Suit — Policy  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  Regard  to 
Slavery —  Digression — Oregon — Gary — Lee — Roberts — Wil- 
bur— China — Collins — White — (German  Mission — Jacoby — 
Nast — Indians — St.  Regis— Arnold — Jennings — Missions — 
Sunday  Schools — Kidder 11  > 

SECTION  XIL 

Alethodism  in  Canada — Soldiers — Quebec — Emigration — McCarty 
— Anecdote — Opposers — Imprisonment — Diabolical  Cruelty 
—  Disappearance  —  Losee  —  Woolsey —  Sawyer — Merwin — 
Ruter  —  Bangs  —  Conversation — Preaches — Coate — War  of 
1812 — "Ryanites" — Peace  declared — Asbury — English  Mis- 
sionaries —  Difficulties  —  Memorials  —  Settlement  —  Canada 
Conference — Separation — Dissatisfaction — Methodist  Episco- 
pal Church  of  Canada — Rupture — Reunion  with  British  Con- 
ference— Present  State 119 


CONTENTS. 


^ 


BOOK  II. 

DOCTRINES  OF  METHODISM. 

INTRODUCTION 

PAOI 

Articles  of  llcligion— Thoir  Orijjiii— What  they  contain— What 
thi'y  ilo  not  coritaiti — Objections  to  Written  Cretids  exatnineil — 
Rcliitod 135 

ARTICLE  I. 

Ok  Faith  in  the  IIoi,y  Thinity. 

But  one  God — Without  Body  or  Parts — Trinity  in  Unity — PUiral- 

ity  of  Persons  in  Godhead 138 

ARTICLE  IL 

Of  the  Word  or  Son  ok  God  who  was  madr  Man. 

Titles  of  Christ— Attributes  of  Christ — Acts  of  Christ— Worship 
paid  to  Christ — Ciirist  forgave  Sins — Maidiood  of  Clirist — 
Reconciles  God  to  Man 143 

ARTICLE  IIL 

Resuruection  of  Christ 

Ilcsiirrection — Ascension — General  Judgment  in  the  Future — On 
an  appointed  Day — Judgment  of  former  Generations — Judg- 
ment after  Death — Second  Coming  of  Christ 146 

ARTICLE  IV, 

Of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

Divine  Titles — Attributes — Acts  ascribed  to  Holy  Ghost — Forni  oi 
Baptism,  iLc 148 

ARTICLE  V, 

The  Sufficiency  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  for  Salv,vtion. 

Names  of  Canonical  Books — Preservation  of  Scripturt  ,  «i:c ICZ 


■y*:.. 


:       .     ..- 


ril  CONTENTS, 

ARTICLE  VI. 
Ok  the  Old  Testament. 

W^hat  taught — Moral  Law  not  repealed 1&<3 

ARTICLE  VIL 
Oeigi.val  or  Birth  Sin. 
*      f  Vitt^l-Riis — Man's  Nature  corrupt — Proofs 155 

ARTICLE  VIIL 
Of  Free  Will. 

Free  Agt«c^    -Sfcif-Conversion. . . , 156 

ARTICLE  IX. 

Of  the  Justification  of  Man. 

Justification  by  !>i«ith — Luther — Extract — Proofs 158 

ARTICLE  X. 

Of  Qcoj  Works. 

Necessity  of  Good  M  o.«i? — Fruits  of  Faith — Evidence 159 

ARTICLE  XL 

Of  Woaks  of  Supererogation. 

Romish  Church — Doctrine  of  Devils,  ifec 161 

ARTICLE  XIL 

Of  Sin  after  Justification. 

Sin  against  Holy  Ghost — Still  possible — Sins  of  Christians — For- 
giveness    161 

ARTICLE  XIIL 

Of  the  Church. 

(1)  A  Congregation,  <fec. — (2)  Composed  of  fiiitl:ful  Men — (3)  Pure 

Word  i)rencht'(l — (4)  Siioraments  administt'rcvl 1C.3 


CONTENTS. 


Xll3 


ARTICLE  XIV. 
Ok  Puegatouy. 

FAOH 

Romish   Church — Restorationista — Spirits    in    Prison — Pardon — 

Images,  <kc.  &c 165 

ARTICLE  XV. 

Of  Speaking  in  an  Unknown  Tongue. 

Scripture  Prohibition — Modern  Sects 167 

ARTICLE  XVL 

Of  the  Sacraments. 

What  they  are — How  many — Seven  Sacraments 167 


ARTICLE  XVIL 

Of  Baptism. 

(1)  Its  Origin — Jewish — Hebrew  Examples — (2)  Its  Nature — Figu- 
rative not  to  represent  the  Death  of  Christ — A  Sign  of  Profes- 
sion— Entrance  to  the  Churcli — A  Covenant — (3)  Subjects 
of  Baptism — A(hilt  Believers — Penitents — Infants — Proved 
Abrahamic  Covenant — Eligibility  to  Church  Membership — 
Analogy  between  Circumcision  and  Baptism — General  Terms 
— Baptism  of  Households — Christian  Fathers — (4)  Mode  of 
Baptism — Not  designated — Inmiersion  not  the  Mode  employ- 
ed in  Christ's  Day — Baptisms  on  the  Day  of  Pentecost — Phi- 
lippian  Jailer — "  Spirit,  Water,  and  Blood" 169 

ARTICLE  XVIIL 

Of  the  Lord's  Supper. 

Transubstantiation — Names  by  which  designated — Design 178 

ARTICLE  XIX. 

Of  the  Supper  in  both  Kinds. 

Practice  of  Roman  Church — Unscriptural 190 


XIV 


CONTENTS. 


I 


ARTICLE  XX. 
Or  THE  One  Oblation  of  Cheist. 

PAOK 

Qencral  Redemption — Calvinism — Its  Doctrines  stated — Repu- 
diated— Mass 181 

ARTICLE  XXL 

Of  the  Marriage  of  Ministers. 
Clerical  Celibacy — Luthe' — Wesleyan  Conference 186 

ARTICLE  XXIL 

Of  the  Rites  and  Ceremonies  of  Churches. 

What  Rites  necessary — What  unnecessary — Church  Government — 
Form  not  prescribed — Rules  and  Regulations  not  to  be  vio- 
lated— Membership  voluntary — Schism  to  be  avoided — Six 
Months'  trial 187 

ARTICLE  XXIIL 
Of  the  Rulers  of  the  United  States. 
When  adopted — Civil  Government  of  Divine  Origin — Form  not 
prescribed  —  Political  questions  —  Unjust  Laws  —  "Higher 
Law" — Opinions 190 

ARTICLE  XXIV. 

Of  Christian  Men's  Goods. 

Community  of  Goods — Not  prescribed — Rich  and  Poor — Almsgiv- 
ing— Provision  by  the  State — Duty  of  the  Church  to  the  Poor  192 

ARTICLE  XXV. 

Of  a  Christian  Man's  Oath. 

Profanity — Judicial  Oaths — Quakers'  Prohibition  examined — Scrip 
ture  Testimony ^ 194 


APPENDIX  TO  THE  ARTICLES. 
Introductory  Remarks. , 


196 


CONTENTS.        .         .  •  XV 

I 

I.  "Witness  of  thk  Sfirit. 

rAoa 

Wesley's  Views — Extract^ — Conclusion 197 

II.  Sanctification  of  Believers. 

Term  defined — Wesley's  Views — Doctrine  stated — Defended — Ob- 
jections— Conclusion , .  202 

III.  Possibility  of  Falling  from  Grace. 
Question — Doctrine  of  Methodist  Church — Old  Teatament  Proof — 

New  Testament  Proof — Objections  to  the  Doctrine  of  Neces- 
sary Final  Perseverance 206 

IV.  Eternal  Rewards  and  Ponighments. 

Doctrine  of  the  Church — Arguments  from  Reason  and  Scripture — 

Conclusion 213 


-^ 


BOOK  III. 

POLITY  OF  EPISCOPAL  METHODISM. 
CHAPTER  I. 

SECTION  L 
Introduction. 

Mr.  Wesley  Founder  of  Episcopal  Polity  of  Methodism — Doubts 
on  this  Point  examined — Refuted — Sunday  Service,  17 Si- 
Discipline — In  what  sense  Episcopal — (1)  Not  in  the  Roman 
sense — (2)  Not  in  the  Church  of  England  sense — Methodist 
Bishops 217 


SECTION  II. 

Apostolic  Succession. 
Orestion   stated — What  involved  in  the  Doctrine — Peculiarities 


'  ,1,  II  Wt.  I 


XVJ 


CONTENTS. 


PAOI 


of  the  Apostolic  Office — Are  modern  Bishops  Apostles  ? — 
Have  not  the  exchisive  Power  of  Ordination — Scripture  Tes- 
timony— Bisliops  and  Pre»hyters  the  same  in  Order — Testi- 
mony of  (he  Fathers — Councils — Cliannel  of  Episcopal  Suc- 
cession— First  Bishop  of  Rome — Links  in  the  Chain 228 


\ 


SECTION  III. 

Same  Subject  continued. 

Fountain  of  Ennjlish  and  American  Episcopacy — Romish  Ordina- 
tions— Canterbury — York — Apostolic  Commissions — Origin  of 
Episcopacy — Illustration — Methodist  Episcopacy — Wesleyan 
Succession — "  Once  a  Bishop,  always  a  Bishop" — Judas- 
Dilemma  for   "  Churchmen" — Arrogance — Objections 239 


SECTION  IV. 

Origin  of  Methodist  JCmscopacy,  «S:o. 

Mr.  "Wesley  the  Originator  of  American  Episcopal  Methodism — His 
Letter  to  Bishop  Asbury — Explanation  of  the  Circumstances 
under  which  it  was  written — Dr.  Coke  appointed  Superinten- 
dent in  1784  by  John  Wesley — Letter  of  Wesley  to  Dr.  Coke 
and  others — Remarks  upon  the  Letter — The  Right  of  the 
Methodists  to  choose  their  own  Form  of  Church  Oovernment 
— The  Organization  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  canon- 
ical, by  the  Terms  of  the  Articles  of  the  Church  of  Eii'jland.  255 


SECTION  V. 

Advantages  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Form  of  Church  Govern- 
mknt,  when  compared  with  other  forms. 

Various  Systems  of  Church  Government  considered — Romish 
Episcopacy — English  Episcopacy — Protestant  Episcopacy — 
Presbyteriiinism — Congregationalism — Methodist  Episcopacy 
— Methodism  aggressive  in  its  Nature — Objections  to  a  Lay 
Delegation  in  the  General  Conference. .  o 267 


.  -  CONTENTS.  ,  Xvii 

CHAPTER  II. 

WRSERAL   RULES,    AND    RECEPTION,    AND    EXPULSION    OP 

MEMBERS. 

SECTION  I. 

FAOB 

Gbneral  Rules <•  277 

SECTION  II. 
Of  eeceiving  Members 281 

SECTION  III.  ' 

On  the  Trial  and  ExrnLBioN  of  Members 281 

CHAPTER  III. 

OP   THE    MINISTERS,    PREACHERS,    AND    OTHER    OFFICKHS. 

SECTION  L 
Of  the  Bishops 286 

SECTION  II. 
Of  THE  Presiding  Elders 287 

SECTION  III. 
Of  Travelling  Elders 288 

SECTION  IV. 
Of  Travelling  Deacons, 290 

SECTION  V. 
Of  Superannuated  and  Supernumerary  Preachers 291 

SECTION  VI. 

Of  Travelling  Preachers 231 

2 


'^  ■  «, 


f      II  I. 


TT^ 


IV-- 

f 

r.-'- . 
Ir 

. 

1 

r 

1' 

11 

i^^ 

1 

H 

1^ 


t  ■ 


XVni  CONTENTS. 

SECTION  VII. 

PAoa 
Of  Pbeacuebs  in  Charge , 292 

SECTION  VIII. 
Ok  Local  Eldeus,  Deacons,  and  Preachers 293 

SECTION  IX. 
Of  Exhorters,  Stewards,  Class  Leaders,  and  Trustees.. ,... .  296 

CHAPTER  IV. 

OP   THE    GENERAL,  ANNUAL,  AND    QUARTERLY    CONFERENCES, 
AND    OTHER    COLLECTIVE    BODIES. 

SECTION  L 
Of  the  General  Conference 298 

SECTION  IL 
Of  the  Annual  Conferences 30C 

SECTION  in. 

Of  the  Quarterly  Conferences 801 

SECTION  IV. 
Or  Leaders*  Meetings 302 

SECTION  V. 
Of  Society  ane  Class  Meetings 303 

CHAPTER  V. 

OP   THE   PUBLIC    AND   SOCIAL   MEANS    OF    GRACE. 
SECTION  L 

Of  Public  Worship 304 


mmm^^mm 


'I  ^       'M 


CONTENTS.  XiX 

section:  il 

rAiii 
Or  Class  Meetings SUS 

SECTION  III. 
Op  Band  Meetings 306 

SECTION  IV. 
Of  Prayee  Meetings 80'? 

SECTION  V. 
Of  Love  Feasts 308 

SECTION  VI. 
Of  Camp  Meetings 309 

SECTION  VII. 
Of  Watch  Night  Meetings 31C 

SECTION  VIII. 

Of   PaOTBACTED   AND   OTHER   MEETINGS SH 

CHAPTER  VI. 

t 

OF  THE  SUPPORT  OF  THE    MINISTRY  AND    FINANCIAL    INTERESTS 

OF   THE    CHURCH. 

SECTION  I. 
Of  THE  Annual  Allowance  to  Ministers 314 

SECTION  IL 
Of  Choechks  and  Church  Propertv 319 


XX 


CONTENTS. 


APPENDIX  TO  BOOK  III. 


PAOI 


Decisions,  and  Resolutions  on  the  Administration  of  Discipline 

OF  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 321 

Authorities 828 


) 


BOOK  IV. 

BENEVOLENT  AND  LITERARY  INSTITUTIONS,  AND 
STATISTICS  OF  METHODISM. 

CHAPTER  I. 

BENEVOLENT    INSTITUTIONS. 

SECTION  I. 

Book  Concern. 
Its  Design — Its  History — Present  State — Financial  Exhibit 829 

SECTION  II. 

Chartered  Fund. 

Its  Institution  and  Design — Location — Amount  and  Disbursement 

of  Funds 835 


SECTION  III. 
Missionary  Society  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

Its  Organization — Objects — Life  Members,  <fec. — Officers — Receipts 
— Disbursements — Number  of  Missions,  «fec — Auxiliaries — 
Missionary  Character  of  Methodism 885 


CONTENTS. 


lad 


V 


SECTION  IV. 
Sunday  School  Union  of  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 

PAOI 

Originator  of  Sunday  Schools — Raike." — "Wesley — Establishment 
in  America — Present  State  of  Methodist  Episcopal  Sunday 
Schools — Receipts — Statistics 338 

SECTION  V. 
Bible  Society. 

American  Bible  Society — When  formed — Its  Object — Co-operation 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church — Receipts — Expenditures 
— Circulation  of  Copies — Receipts  from  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church 341 


CHAPTER  11. 

LITERARY    INSTITUTIONS    OF    METHODISM. 

SECTION  T. 

Universities  and  Colleges. 
Cokesbury  College — Dr.  Fisk — List  of  Colleges,  &c 348 

SECTION  II. 

Biblical  Institute. 
Formation— Design— -Endowment— Students,  Ac .  .  344 

SECTION  III. 
Academies,  <feo 846 

chapteh  III. 

STATISTICS    OF    EPISCOPAL    METHODISM. 

SECTION  I. 
The  Number  ok  Conferences,  &c 847 

SECTION  II. 
Number  of  Bishops,  Presiding  Elders,  and  Preachers 348 


■p 


^ 


Xxii  C0NTEKT8 

SECTION  lit 

FAsa 

Number  or  Members  and  Pbobationeus 8^8 

SECTION  IV. 
Statistics  of  MirrnoDrsT  Episcopal  Church  South. 
lishops— Book  Concern— Periodicals — Missions — Colleges — Min- 
isters— Members — Sunday  Schools 860 

SECTION  V. 
Summary  of  Episcopal  Methodism  in  the  United  States 861 

SECTION  VL 

Table  of  Ministers  and  Members  of  each  Methodist  Denomi- 
nation IN  the  United  States 863 

SECTION  VII. 
Enulibh  and  Canadian  MetiiOdism 859 

SECTION  VIIL 
Rkoafitolation  or  Statistics — Conclusion 864 

APPENDIX   1 355 

APPENDIX  II 857 


mmm 


wmmmm^^mm^mftitFm'm^, 


BOOK    I. 
HISTORY   OF   METHODISM. 


CHAPTER   1. 


SECTION   I. 


John  Weslry,  the  father  and  founder  of  Methodism,  was 
born  on  the  l7th  of  June,  a.d.  1703.  He  was  the  son  of 
Sninuel  Wesley,  Rector  of  Epworth,  Lincolnshire,  England,  and 
was  the  descendant  of  a  hng  list  of  learned  and  pious  ances- 
tors, both  on  the  paternal  and  maternal  side.  John  Wesley 
had  two  brothers;  the  elder,  Samuel,  was  born  in  1692,  edu- 
cated in  Westminster  school,  and  at  the  age  of  nineteen  was 
elected  to  Christ's  Church,  Oxford.  After  a  life  of  ministerial 
and  literary  usefulness,  he  died  in  1739.  Charles,  the  younger 
brother,  was  born  in  1708.  Besides  these  three  sons,  Mr. 
Wesley,  senior,  had  several  daugliters,  but  as  their  biography 
is  not  necessarily  connected  with  the  annals  of  Methodism,  we 
merely  allude  to  the  fact  without  further  detail. 

At  the  age  of  six  years,  John  had  a  wonderful  escape  from 
death.  The  rectory,  or  parsonage  house,  in  which  the  family 
resided,  having  been  consumed  by  fire,  while  John,  being 
asleep  in  an  upper  apartment,  was  with  great  difficulty  saved 
from  destruction.  In  allusion  to  this  deliverance,  he,  in  after 
life,  frequently  represented  himself  as  being  "  a  brand  plucked 
from  the  burning." 

After  receiving  the  necessary  instruction  preparatory  to  hia 


^ 


UI'IUCOHAL    MUl'iiUDIBM. 


. 


fi  ■ 


admission  to  the  University,  he  wns,  in  the  year  1720,  entered 
as  a  student  in  Christ's  Church  Colloge,  Oxford,  where  he  |»ur- 
sued  his  studios  witli  utiwearied  dili<jfonco  and  7X'al,  and  where 
he  soon  after  took  his  degree  of  liaelielor  of  Arts.  In  1725, 
ho  was  ordained  a  deacon  of  the  estabhshed  Church  of  Eng- 
land by  the  Bishop  of  Oxford,  and  the  next  year,  1720,  he  was 
elected  Fellow  of  Lincoln  College.  Tn  1727,  he  obtained  his 
degree  of  Master  of  Arts,  and  in  1728  was  ordained  Priest  by 
the  same  bishop  who  had  previously  conferred  upon  him  dea- 
con's orders.  In  the  meantime,  John  had  become  curate  of 
Rpworth,  or  Jissistant  minister  to  his  father.  In  the  year  1729 
he  returned  to  Oxford  and  became  a  tutor  in  the  college. 
During  his  temporary  absence  from  college,  his  brother  Charles, 
who  had  become  a  student  of  Christ's  Church,  and  was  of  a 
serious  turn  of  mind,  had  associated  with  himself  two  or  three 
other  young  students,  for  the  purpose  of  prosecuting  with 
greater  diligence  their  respective  studies,  and  also  to  assist  each 
other  in  the  formation  of  a  proper  moral  and  religious  charac- 
ter. From  the  strict  method  in  which  they  spent  their  every 
hour,  and  their  methodical  exactness  in  relation  to  all  things 
appertaining  to  morality  and  religion,  they  acquired  from  tiieir 
fellow-students  the  name  of  Methodists,  an  appellation  which 
was  not  unknown  in  England,  as  we  find  that  the  Nonconform- 
ists had  long  been  known  by  that  title,  and  even  before  the 
times  of  nonconformity — as  early  as  1G39 — we  find  a  minor 
sect  of  Christians,  who  appear  to  have  been  a  plain  and  pious 
people  called  by  the  same  name — Methodists.  But  at  what- 
ever period  the  name  was  first  applied  to  any  sect  of  Chris- 
tians, but  little  doubt  can  exist  in  relation  to  its  aj)plication  to 
Charles  Wesley  and  his  associates ;  that  it  was  used  as  a  term 
of  reproacli,  and  afterward  adopted  as  a  denominational  title 
by  the  force  of  circumstances,  and  although  at  first  considered 
disgraceful  by  those  who  applied  it,  yet,  like  the  name  Chris- 
tian, which  was  first  given  to  the  disciples  at  Antioch,  by  way 
of  derision,  it  has  long  ceased  to  be  considered  reproachful  b» 


TIIK    WKSLKV8    AT    OXKOKD. 


tliose  who  bear  it,  but  next  to  that  of  Chiistian,  the  Method* 
ists  j^lory  in  their  name,  and  if  any  regret  exists  in  rehition  tc 
itH  apjdication,  it  is  that  those  who  boar  it  are  not  more  worthy 
of  it. 

On  the  return  of  Mr.  John  Wesley  to  Oxford,  he  at  once 
joined  the  httle  band,  and  by  common  consent  became  its 
leader,  and  throu<;h  fiis  inlhuMice  and  energy,  his  piety  and 
depth  of  learning,  he  gave  additional  vigor  to  their  exertions  to 
promote  their  own  welfare  and  the  welfare  of  others.  Among 
those  composing  the  GoiUy  Club,  as  it  wtis  sometimes  called, 
were  shortly  afterwards  found,  Mr.  Hervey,  the  author  of 
•'  Hervey'a  Meditations,"  and  the  justly  celebrated  George 
Whitfield. 

During  the  residence  of  Jolin  and  Charles  Wesley  at  Ox- 
ford, the  former  took  frequent  excursions  to  his  native  town, 
and  visited  other  i)Iaees  of  note,  such  as  London,  and  Man- 
chester. He  appears  to  have  made  it  a  jtoint  of  duty,  even 
at  this  early  day,  to  preach  wherever  he  could  find  an  open- 
ing, and  such  wjis  his  success  as  a  preacher,  that  on  the  de- 
cline of  his  father's  health,  he  was  strongly  urged  by  tha 
latter,  as  well  as  by  his  brother  Samuel,  and  also  by  the 
people  of  Epworth,  to  apply  for  the  j)arish  of  Epworth,  as 
the  next  present-ee.  Such,  however,  was  his  attachment  to 
the  little  band  at  Oxford,  that  neither  the  wishes  of  a  father, 
nor  the  sterner  commands  of  a  brother,  could  induce  him 
to  forsake  the  station  where  God  in  his  providence  had 
placed  him,  while  it  io  quite  probable  he  had  resolved,  as  a 
matter  of  duty,  not  to  confine  his  labors  to  the  limits  of  a  sin- 
gle parish,  but  if  he  rotiioved  at  all  from  Oxford,  to  go  any- 
where where  the  finger  of  God  should  direct,  that  he  might  do 
the  greatest  amount  of  good,  to  the  greatest  possible  number. 
While  actuated  by  this  spirit  of  self-denial,  it  is  not  wonderful 
that  we  find  him,  during  his  stay  ai  Oxford,  visiting  the  pris- 
oners in  the  gaol  of  that  place  ;  or  spendiiig  sevtjral  houis  in 
each  week  in  visiting  the  poor  anA  wck,  «tfordia^  nalW  ♦*  %^ 


El'ISCOHAL    METHODISM. 


one,  and  comfort  and  instruction  to  the  other.  Such  rainiste- 
rial  devotedness  will  not  appear  wonderful  to  us,  but  to  those 
who  lived  in  that  day,  it  was  a  novel  sight  to  see  any  man, 
aside  from  the  minister  of  the  parish,  or  the  paid  chaplain  of 
the  prison,  paying  any  attention  to  either  the  poor,  the  sick,  or 
the  criminal ;  and  indeed,  so  strange  did  such  conduct  appear, 
on  the  part  of  Mr.  Wesley  and  his  companions,  that  they  were 
subjected  thereby  to  much  obloquy  and  reproach  from  the  mem- 
bers of  their  own  church,  but  being  encouraged  in  his  labors 
of  love  by  his  venerable  father  and  elder  brother,  John  and 
Charles  continued  in  their  course  of  doing  good,  according  as 
their  time  and  means  would  allow.  After  having  been  thus 
engaged  for  several  years,  the  two  brothers  received  a  call  to 
go  to  Georgia  as  missionaries.  A  colony  had  been  planted 
here  a  few  years  previously,  under  the  direction  of  Mr.  James 
Oglethorpe,  who,  on  visiting  England  for  the  purpose  of  pro- 
curing supplies,  &c.,  invited  the  Wesleys  to  return  with  him. 
After  due  deliberation  John  consented  to  go,  and  Charles, 
agreeing  to  accompany  him,  received  ordination  prior  to  their 
departure.  In  the  year  1735,  they  accordingly  bid  adieu  to 
remonstrating  friends,  and  beloved  country,  and  committed 
their  little  all  to  the  mercies  of  the  deep  and  the  inhospitali- 
ties  of  a  savage  shore.  In  the  same  ship  which  carried  them 
to  their  field  of  labor,  was  a  company  of  pious  Germans 
belonging  to  the  church  of  the  Moravians  or  United  Brethren, 
accompanied  by  their  bishop.  For  tlie  purpose  of  conversing 
with  them,  Mr.  John  Wesley  applied  himself  at  once  to  the 
study  of  the  German  language,  while  he  also  gave  lessons  in 
English  to  the  bishop  and  two  other  persons.  During  the 
passage  they  encountered  several  severe  storms,  which  rendered 
their  situation  dangerous  in  the  extreme.  While  momentarily 
expecting  to  find  a  watery  grave,  the  Moravians — both  men 
and  women — preserved  the  utmost  composure,  and  even  while 
the  storm  was  at  its  height,  cheerfully  sang  hymns  of  praise  to 
God.    John  Wesley,  who,  on  examining  the  state  of  his  own 


MISSION    TO    QEOROIA. 


heart,  felt  unprepared  to  die,  could  but  wonder  at  such  comjw- 
Bure  on  the  part  of  his  German  friends.  On  the  abatement  of 
the  storm,  he  made  inquiries  for  the  purpose  of  ascertaining  the 
ground  of  such  composure  and  fearlessness  of  death,  and  learned 
for  the  first  time  in  his  life,  that  there  is  a  degree  of  religion 
attainable  by  believers,  which  "  casteth  out  fear." 

On  the  arrival  of  the  Wesleys  in  Georgia,  John  took  charge 
of  the  church  in  Savannah,  while  Charles  went  to  Frederica. 
The  Colonists  at  the  latter  place  were  greatly  depraved,  and 
their  conduct  calling  out  strong  rebuke  from  their  faithful  pas- 
tor, he  became  at  once  the  object  of  bitter  persecution  and 
neglect,  so  much  so,  that  he  gladly  exchanged  places  with  his 
older  and  more  experienced  brother  John, — Charles  taking 
charge  of  Savannah,  and  John  of  Frederica.  In  1736,  Charles 
was  sent  to  England  as  the  bearer  of  despatches  from  the 
Governor  to  the  Trustees  of  the  Colony,  and  thus  his  missionary 
labors  in  America  terminated.  John,  however,  remained  at  his 
post,  having  returned  to  Savannah — visiting  Frederica  occa 
sionally — and  by  the  establishment  of  schools,  private  religious 
meetings,  &c.,  he  gave  evidence  of  a  desire  to  njake  full  proof 
of  his  ministry.  He  even  attempted  carrying  out  his  original 
design  of  laboring  exclusively  for  the  benefit  of  the  Indian  tribes, 
but  as  there  was  no  other  minister  to  supply  his  place  in  Savan- 
nah, he  was  obliged  reluctantly  to  remain  in  that  place.  Whilo 
officiating  as  the  minister  of  Savannah  and  Frederica,  his  object 
was  to  bring  himself  and  congregation  to  comply  with  the  ru- 
brics of  the  Church  of  England,  and  while  enforcing  the  necessity 
of  attending  the  Communion  on  the  part  of  the  parishioners,  at 
the  same  time  to  repel  unworthy  persons  from  the  table  of  the 
Lord.  In  doing  so,  he  at  once  subjected  himself  to  the  most 
fierce  opiwsition  from  the  persons  repelled,  and  from  their 
friends  and  neighbors.  So  high  did  the  storm  rage,  that  com- 
plaints were  made  to  the  grand  jury  of  Savannah,  which  latter 
body  presented  to  the  court,  a  bill  of  indictment  against  the 
Kev.  John  Wesley  for  breaking  the  laws  of  the  realm,  &c.  &u., 


HI 


li 


0  KPISCOFAL    METHODISM. 

in  sundry  matters  purely  ecclesiastical.  At  length,  having  ap- 
peared seven  times  before  the  court  to  answer  these  charges, 
and  believing  that  the  intention  of  his  enemies  being  simply  to 
harass  him  and  drive  him  from  the  Colony,  he,  after  consulting 
with  his  friends,  resolved  to  return  to  England  by  the  first  op- 
portunity ;  and  having  set  up  an  advertisement  in  the  great 
square  to  that  effect,  and  served  personal  notice  on  his  chief 
persecutor  to  the  same  effect,  on  the  2d  of  December,  1737, 
he  bid  farewell  to  his  friends  in  Georgia,  and  proceeded  by  land 
to  Carolina  for  the  purpose  of  procuring  a  passage,  and  on  the 
22d  of  the  same  month  he  bid  adieu  to  America,  and  on  the 
first  of  February  following,  he  once  more  set  foot  on  the  shores 
of  England,  having  been  absent  nearly  two  years  and  a  half 
from  his  native  land. 


SECTION  IT. 


I 


ViS 


I 


The  vieit  of  Mr.  Wesley  to  America,  if  not  followed  by  all 
the  good  results  which  he  desired,  was  nevertheless  followed  by 
consequences  which  to  himself  and  the  world  may  never  be 
fully  known  until  eternity  discloses  more  clearly  to  the  knowl- 
edge of  man  the  true  relation  of  caiise  and  effect.  We  have 
hitherto  been  looking  at  Mr.  John  Wesley  as  a  young  man — a 
scholar — a  minister — having  the  fear  of  God  before  his  eyes, 
and  using  all  his  powers  to  bring  himself  into  subjection  to  the 
law  of  God,  but  we  have  not  thus  fur  been  able  to  discover  in 
him  the  power  of  saving  faith.  His  intercourse  with  the  Mo- 
ravians while  on  the  passage  to  America  and  during  his  resi- 
dence in  Georgia,  convinced  him,  that  notwithstanding  his 
morality  and  uprightness  of  conduct,  these  poor  Germans  had 
something  which  he  did  not  possess,  that  the  humility,  patience, 
long-suffering,  and  kindness,  manifested  by  them  were  the 
fruits  of  a  certain  kind  or  degree  of  faith,  to  which  he  had  not 
as  yet  attained,  and  however  desirous  of  possessing  the  same, 


FORMATION    OF    THE    FIRST    SOCIETY. 


how  to  attain  to  it  he  knew  not.  In  this  state  of  spiritual 
darkness  and  bhiidness,  he  remained  until  his  return  to  Eng- 
land. A  few  davs  after  his  arrival,  he  proceeded  to  London, 
where  he  providentially  met  the  Rev.  Peter  Bohler,  a  bishop 
of  the  Moravian  church.  To  this  man  he  opened  his  heart, 
and  after  several  communications  with  him,  he  became  more 
clearly  convinced  that  thus  far  himself  had  been  a  stranger  to 
the  exercise  of  evangelical  faith — a  faith  which  consists  of  a 
"  sure  trust  and  confidence,  which  a  man  has  in  God,  that 
through  the  merits  of  Christ,  his  sins  are  forgiven,  and  he 
reconciled  to  the  favor  of  God."  He  also  became  convinced 
of  the  possibility  and  necessity  of  instantaneous  convei'sion,  and 
although  yet  a  stranger  to  the  converting  grace  of  God  in  his 
own  heart,  by  the  advice  of  Mr.  Bohler  he  resolved  to  preach 
the  doctrines  of  faith  and  conversion,  until  he  himself  became 
the  subject  of  that  grace.  For  the  purpose  of  advancing  the 
cause  of  truth  in  his  own  heart,  and  the  hearts  of  others,  by 
the  further  advice  of  Mr.  Bohler,  Mr.  Wesley  and  a  f«w  others 
formed  themselves  into  a  religious  Society  which  met  in  Fetter- 
lane,  which  Society  was  long  after  known  as  the  "  Fetter-lane 
Society,"  and  was  composed  at  first  of  united  brethren  and 
members  of  the  church  of  England.  Mr.  Wesley  continued 
to  walk  in  darkness  until  the  24th  of  May,  on  the  evening 
of  which  day  he  attended  a  meeting  in  Aldersgate-street,  and 
while  a  person  was  reading  Luther's  preface  to  the  Epistle  to 
the  Romans,  and  while  describino-  the  change  which  is  wroutrht 
in  the  heart  through  fahh  in  Christ,  "  I,"  says  Wesley,  "  felt 
my  heart  strangely  warmed,  I  felt  I  did  trust  in  Christ  alone 
for  salvation  :  and  an  assurance  was  given  me  that  he  had  ta- 
ken away  my  sins,  even  mine,  and  saved  me  from  the  law  of 
sin  and  death."  In  those  few  words,  we  have  recorded  Mr. 
Wesley's  account  of  his  own  conversion, — an  event  of  greater 
importance  to  the  religious  world  and  to  mankind  in  general, 
than  the  birth  of  a  Napoleon  or  the  victories  of  the  greatest 
warriors  the  world  ever  knew.     The  immediate  fruit  of  his 


8 


EPISCOPAL   METHODISM. 


i 


?  I'. 


! 


! 


conversion,  and  at  the  same  time  a  strong  evidence  of  its  realit; 
and  genuineness,  was  a  love  for  his  enemies,  and  a  desire  for 
their  welfare.  "  I  began,"  he  continues,  "  to  pray  with  all  my 
raio-ht  for  those  who  had  in  a  more  especial  manner  despitefuUy 
used  me  and  persecuted  me." 

It  is  worthy  of  remark  that  the  first  time  Mr.  Wesley  prayed 
extemjjore,  was  with  a  prisoner  under  sentence  of  death,  by  the 
name  of  Clifford  ;  and  that  the  Father  of  mercies  was  pleased 
to  sanction  such  mode  of  prayer,  by  giving  the  poor  criminal 
a  knowledfTe  of  sin  forgiven  which  he  retained  to  his  last 
earthly  moments.  It  is  also  worthy  of  attention,  that  this  in- 
cident transpired  but  a  few  days  previous  to  Mr.  Wesley's 
conversion. 

After  Mr.  Wesley's  conversion,  he  had  a  strong  desire  to 
visit  Germany  and  converse  with  those  pious  Moravians  who 
had  obtained  like  precious  faith  with  himself.  He  accordingly 
sailed  from  London,  and  on  the  15th  of  June  reached  Rotter- 
dam. While  on  his  way  to  Ilernhut — the  Moravian  settle- 
ment— he  was  hospitably  entertained  by  Count  Zinzendorf,  the 
leader  and  head  of  the  Moravians,  and  with  him  he  spent 
some  pleasant  hours  in  conversation  in  regard  to  the  doctrines 
of  the  new  birth  and  justification  by  faith.  On  the  first  of 
August  he  reached  Hernhut,  where  he  spent  a  fortnight, 
visiting  the  brethren,  listening  to  theii*  preaching,  and  convers- 
ing frequently  and  freely  with  them  on  experimental  subjects, 
faith,  &c.  Here  he  learned  many  things  of  which  he  had 
before  been  ignorant,  and  admired  in  many  respects  their 
temporal  economy,  and  after  having  bidden  the  brethren  a  re 
luctant  farewell,  h'i  returned  to  London,  more  than  ever  deter- 
mined to  preach  Christ  and  salvation  through  faith. 

Shortly  before  the  conversion  of  John  Wesley,  he.  in  com- 
pany with  Peter  Bohler,  visited  Charles  Wesley,  who  was 
then  in  Oxford,  confined  upon  a  bed  of  sickness.  Bohler 
proclaimed  to  him  the  way  of  life  and  salvation  ;  but  although 
sincerely  desirous  of  being  all  that  God  would  have  him  be^ 


CONDITION   OF   THE    B8TABLISHED    CHURCH. 


he  was  rather  too  much  of  a  Pharisee  to  be  wihing  to  throw 
away  his  own  righteousness,  and  throw  himself  all  naked  and 
helpless  on  the  blood  of  Christ  for  salvation.  After  his  recov- 
ery, he  repaired  to  London,  where  Bohler  again  visited  him, 
and  succeeded  in  convincing  him  that  his  "  own  righteousness 
was  but  as  filthy  rags,"  and  that  while  unjustified  before  God, 
his  state  was  eminently  a  dangerous  one.  From  this  moment 
he  became  a  sincere  seeker  of  salvation  by  faith  alone,  and  on 
the  21st  of  May,  1738 — three  days  previous  to  the  conversion 
of  his  brother  John — he  became  the  happy  subject  of  convert- 
ing grace.  Thus  the  two  brothers  who  had  suffered  so  much 
together  in,  and  for  the  cause  of  God,  were  brought  nearly  at 
the  same  time  to  a  state  of  justification  before  God,  and  to  the 
enjoyment  of  the  blessings  resulting  from  faith  in  Christ  as 
their  personal  Saviour  ;  and  thus  in  a  marvellous  manner  and 
by  the  most  humble  instrumentalities  Wcis  the  Lord  raising  up 
from  the  bosom  of  the  church  of  England,  men  who  would  in 
future  produce  a  greater,  a  mightier,  a  happier  revolution,  not 
only  in  England,  but  throughout  Christendom,  than  the  world 
had  witnessed  since  the  days  of  Luther — a  revolution  embracing 
the  best  of  all  objects,  and  attended  by  the  best  of  all  results, 
— a  revival  of  pure  religion. 

At  the  period  of  the  conversion  of  the  Messrs.  Wesley,  vital 
piety  was  but  little  known  in  England.  Indeed,  the  religion 
of  the  kingdom  was  a  religion  of  mere  forms  and  cere- 
monies, of  prayers,  fasts,  and  thanksgivings ;  while  Sabbath- 
breaking,  drunkenness,  licentiousness,  gambling,  hunting,  (fee. 
&c.,  were  not  only  permitted,  but  openly  practised  by  the 
clergy  of  the  Established  Church.  So  greatly,  indeed,  had 
true  religion  declined  after  the  Reformation,  that  Archbishop 
Leighton  in  speaking  of  the  chu.ch  in  his  time  represents  it  as 
a  "  carcass  without  a  spirit ;"  and  Bishop  Burnet  represents 
the  clergy  of  his  times  as  having  "  less  authority,  and  more  con- 
tempt than  those  of  any  other  church  in  Europe,"  as  "  more  re- 
miss in  their  labors,  and  less  severe  in  their  lives ;"  and  such 


10 


EPISCOI'AL    METHODISM. 


was  the  fact  at  the  beginning  of  tlie  labors  of  the  Weslcys  and 
their  co-laborers.  Darkness,  moral,  spiritual,  doctrinal,  covered 
the  people.  With  an  orthodox  liturgy,  there  existed  a  semi- 
infidel  clergy  ;  with  a  formula  of  devotion,  beautiful  in  its  lan- 
guage, and  sublime  in  its  teachings,  the  bought  or  borrowed 
sermons  of  its  ministers,  while  they  vied  to  correspond  with  the 
beauty,  were  entire  strangers  to  the  sublimity,  and  indeed  to 
the  theology  found  in  their  book  of  devotion.  This  state  of 
things,  dej)loraI)le  as  it  might  be,  was  not  after  all  among  the 
unaccountable  events  of  history.  About  the  time  of  the  Ref- 
ormation under  Luther,  we  find  England  with  its  church  and 
clergy  a  nation  of  Papists.  Soon  the  church  becomes  Protes- 
tant, and  the  clergy,  for  the  sake  of  retaining  their  livings,  be- 
come Protestant  abo.  Again  the  church  relapses  into  Roman- 
ism, and  the  clergy,  with  the  same  object  in  view,  become 
Romanists.  Again  Protestant  episcopacy  becomes  the  religion 
of  the  nation,  and  the  clergy,  ever  mindful  of  their  own  inter- 
ests, become  again  traitors  to  the  Pope,  and  the  staunch  friends 
of  the  Reformation.  With  such  motives  to  influence  the  clergy 
in  their  frequent  conversions,  we  may  naturally  conclude  that 
while  the  Jleece  was  an  object  of  their  tender  regard,  the  flock 
themselves  were  entirely  neglected.  If,  in  fact,  the  religious 
teachers  of  the  establishment  were  mere  men  of  the  world, 
seeking  after  wealth,  or  pursuing  the  rounds  of  jtleasure  and 
amusement,  alike  forgetful  of  their  own  souls  and  the  souls  of 
their  people,  what,  we  ask,  must  have  been  the  moral  and  reli- 
gious condition  of  that  people  ?  To  be  baptized,  confirmed, 
and  attend  the  communion  of  the  Lord's  Supper  on  Christmas 
day,  Easter  Sunday,  and  perhaps  once  or  twice  more  during 
the  year,  constituted  in  their  view  the  obedience  which  Chri;t 
requires  of  his  followers  ;  while  drunkenness,  profanity.  Sab 
bath-breaking,  and  their  kindred  vices  prevailed  to  an  alarm- 
ing extent.  In  a  word,  the  Church  of  England  was  principally 
composed  of  a  multitude  of  baptized  heathens,  who  were  but 
little  superior  to  the  aborigines  of  America,  either  in  point  of 


b 


PROVIDENTIAL    LEADING    OF    JOHN    WBS8LEY. 


11 


raligion,  morals,  or  intelligence.  Nor  was  the  state  of  re^gion 
much  better  in  the  different  dissenting  bodies  of  the  land.  It 
is  true  that  a  higher  tone  of  morality  and  intelligence  existed 
in  the  different  dissenting  churches.  The  ministers,  as  a  gene- 
ral thing,  were  men  of  morality  and  integrity,  but  through  the 
influence  of  Pelagian  sentiments  and  Antinomian  errors,  vita! 
godliness  was  but  little  known  either  among  ministers  or  peo- 
ple. If  the  above  facts  were  not  matters  of  history,  the  chari- 
table reader  would  no  doubt  feel  disposed  to  think  that  we  had 
given  altogether  too  dark  a  picture  of  the  then  existing  state 
of  things  ;  but  the  annals  of  the  times  convince  us  that  while 
infidelity  prevailed  among  the  higher  classes,  and  even  among 
the  clergy,  the  grossest  and  most  beastly  passions  were  exhibited 
from  time  to  time  among  the  lower  classes.  Eno;land  was  in- 
deed  a  "  carcass  without  a  spirit,"  a  carcass  dead,  rotten,  and 
fit  only  for  burial  in  the  depths  of  the  sea.  Such  wps  the  ex- 
isting state  of  things  in  England  when  John  and  Charles 
Wesley  were  brought  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth  as  it  re- 
gards experimental  piety ;  and  from  the  knowledge  of  their 
character  previously  to  their  conversion  we  may  reasonably 
suppose  that  after  becoming  Christians  they  would  be  in 
labors  still  more  abundant,  and  would  evince  a  still  greater  de- 
sire to  bless  and  save  their  fellow-men.  But  at  this  time  the 
brothers,  especially  John,  had  formed  no  plan  of  operation  foi 
their  future  course  of  action.  Indeed  John  Wesley  from  thp 
beginning  to  the  end  of  his  ministerial  life  appears  to  have 
been  emphatically  the  child  of  Providence,  going  as  far, 
and  no  farther  than  Providence  seemed  to  open  his  way. 
Hence  while  we  follow  him  from  step  to  step,  ♦rom  one  thing 
to  another — from  the  formation  of  his  first  Society  to  the  organ- 
ization of  his  legal  Conference,  we  can  clearly  trace  the  finger 
of  God  pointing,  directing,  controlling  this  wonderful  man  in 
all  his  varied  movements.  Not  that  we  believe  that  John 
W^esley  was  the  subject  of  plenary  inspiration,  but  that  he  did 
act  under  the  inspired  influence  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  we  no 


',  ■ 


12 


EPISCOPAL   METHODISM. 


more  doubt  than  we  doubt  the  fact  of  his  existence,  or  doubt 
the  propriety  of  the  petition  offered  by  the  bishop  who  or- 
dained hiin  in  these  words — 

"  Come,  Holy  Ghost,  our  souls  inspire, 
And  lighten  wifh  celestial  fire; 
Thou  the  anointing  Spirit  art 
Who  dost  thy  seven-fold  gifts  impart,"  «fec. 


\i 


Yes,  John  Wesley's  "  soul"  was  "  inspired"  to  accomplish  the 
work  which  God  had  given  him  to  do,  and  acting  under  the 
influence  of  such  inspiration  he  chose  the  "  world  for  his 
parish,"  and  "  souls  as  iiis  hire."  Besides,  John  Wesley  was 
peculiarly  fitted  by  nature,  education,  and  grace  to  become  a 
religious  reformer.  With  a  sound  physical  constitution,  a 
commanding  flow  of  eloquence,  a  prepossessing  appearance,  a 
large  stock  of  useful  knowledge,  and  above  all,  a  heart  full  of  the 
love  of  God  and  man,  panting  after  the  redemption  of  his 
countrymen,  and  the  salvation  of  the  world,  he  was  eminently 
qualified  for  the  work  of  an  apostle.  Nor  was  his  brother 
Charles  wanting  in  those  gifts  and  graces  necessary  to  fit  him 
to  become  a  faithful  co-worker  in  the  vineyard  of  the  Lord.  A 
man  of  solid  information,  of  sanctified  talents,  of  cautious  zeal, 
he  was  prepared  to  render  great  assistance  to  his  brother  in 
promoting  a  revival  of  pure  religion.  But  the  great  qualifica- 
tion possessed  by  Charles  as  a  religious  reformer  was  the  won- 
derful, we  might  almost  say,  the  inspired  gift  of  poetry  evinced 
by  him  in  the  composition  of  those  sacred,  sublime  songs 
which  he  wrote  for  the  use  of  the  people  converted  through 
the  instrumentality  of  himself  and  fellow-laborers.  These 
songs,  or  hymns,  are  among  the  most  perfect  specimens  of  gen- 
uine poetry  that  can  be  found  in  Christendom.  Not  only  do 
we  find  in  them  good  taste,  but  good  theology ;  not  merely  a 
beautiful  arrangement  of  words  and  lines,  a  body  without  a 
Boul,  but  a  hidden  power,  a  soul-stirring  pathos,  a  something 


wmmmmm 


LABOKS    AT    BRISTOL. 


18 


that  tfikes  hold  of  the  heart  while  it  pleases  the  ear — that  sub- 
dues the  fiercer  passions  while  it  raises  the  flame  of  love — that 
brings  down  the  })ride  of  the  human  heart,  makes  a  man 
loathe  himself,  and  then  raises  his  thoughts  to  heaven,  to 
Christ,  to  CJod,  and  leads  him  by  faith  to  realize  a  "  heaven  on 
earth  bcn^un."  J'he  poetic  works  of  diaries  Wesley,  and  the 
literary  and  theological  productions  of  John  AVesley,  will  ever 
remain  a  standing  monument  of  their  learning,  their  zeal,  their 
piety,  their  qualifications  aa  ministers  of  God,  raised  up  for  an 
extraordinary  purpose,  and  endowed  with  extraordinary  gifts, 
to  enable  tl-.em  to  discharge  the  duties  of  an  extraordinary 
calling  among  men. 

From  the  above  remarks  tlie  reader  will  perceive  that  while 
we  do  not  claim  for  the  Wesleys  the  possession  of  the  same 
degree  of  inspiration  granted  to  the  prophets  and  apostles  of 
old,  we  do  claim  for  them  such  a  degree  of  inspiration  as  is  not 
ordinarily  given  to  the  ministers  of  Christ,  even  to  the  most 
faithful  of  them — a  degree  of  inspiration  necessary  to  prepare 
them  to  i)roduce  one  of  the  greatest  moral  and  religious  refor- 
mations known  in  modern  times. 


SECTION  III. 


r  I 


After  the  conversion  of  John  Wesley  he  began  immedi- 
ately to  declare  what  the  Lord  had  done  for  his  soul,  and 
wherever  he  was  permitted  to  use  the  pulpits  of  his  brother 
clergymen,  he  gladly  availed  himself  of  the  privilege  both  in 
and  around  London.  He  also  extended  his  labors  to  Bristol, 
Oxford,  and  other  parts  of  England,  and  such  was  the  degree 
of  fervor  and  zeal  with  which  he  proclaimed  the  way  of  life 
and  salvation,  that  many  of  the  lukewarm  or  unconverted 
clergy  took  offence  at  his  zeal  and  fidelity,  and  closed  their 
churches  against  him.  The  closing  of  the  churches  in  London 
and  other  places,  impelled  Mr.  Wesley  to  adopt  the  practice  of 


! 


i 


if 


il 


14 


KPISCOPAL    MKTIIODISM. 


fic'ltl-preMchiiin;,  or  }treacliintj  in  the  open  air.  IIIm  first  attempt 
nt  tielcl-prciicliini^  was  in  Bristol  on  the  1st  of  April,  1739. 
Wiiile  in  London  ho  had  been  strongly  solicited  by  Uev. 
George  Whittield,  who  was  then  in  Bristol,  and  who  had  com- 
menced the  practice  of  field-preaching,  to  repair  to  the  latter 
place  for  the  j)iirposo  of  liolding  forth  the  way  of  life  and  sal- 
vation, lie  arrived  at  Bristol  on  Saturday  evening,  and  on 
the  following  day  he,  for  the  first  time,  witnessed  what  in  his 
journal  ho  calls,  "  this  strange  way  of  preaching  in  the  fields." 
At  first  he  could  not  reconcile  such  proceedings  with  his  nice 
sense  of  propriety  and  order,  but  on  the  following  day,  in  the 
afternoon,  he  so  far  overcame  his  sr^niples  as  to  adopt  the  same 
method  of  doing  good  by  preaching  to  a  congregation  of  three 
thousand  people  with  great  effect.  After  spending  some  time 
in  Brist  A,  lie  returned  to  London,  and  finding  most  of  the 
church.es  closed  against  him,  he  preached  to  large  congrega- 
tions in  an  open  space  called  Moorfields.  On  the  r2th  of  May, 
1739,  Mr.  Wesley  laid  the  foundation  of  the  first  Methodist 
chapel.  Bristol  has  the  honor  of  being  the  place  where  this 
chapel  was  erected.  On  November  of  the  same  year,  Mr. 
Wesley  began  to  occupy  as  a  preaching  place  an  old  building 
which  had  been  used  as  a  cannon  foundry  in  Moorfields,  Lon- 
don. From  the  circumstance  of  its  having  been  previously 
used  for  the  above  pur])ose,  it  was  ever  after  known  by  the 
name  of  "Foundry  Chapel,"  or  simply  the  "Foundry."  In 
this  same  year  (1739),  class  meetings  were  instituted.  They 
originated  in  Bristol,  and  were  merely  a  result  of  the  erection 
of  the  chapel  above  alluded  to.  In  erecting  the  said  chapel 
Mr.  Wesley  had  not  designed,  nor  did  he  expect  to  take  any 
responsibility  as  to  the  trouble  and  expense  of  building. 
Eleven  persons  had  been  selected  as  feoffees  or  trustees  of  the 
building.  But  the  work  had  not  progressed  far  before  Mr. 
Wesley  became  satisfied  that  if  completed  at  all  he  must  be- 
come responsible  for  the  cost.  He  accordingly  involved  him- 
self in  debt  to  raise  means  to  complete  the  edifice,  and  as  he 


CLASS- LKADKKS. Tllli    C0LMEI18. 


:b 


h'\(\  iiut  the  iiu'jiiis  to  dofmy  tlie  expense  oUt  of  liis  own  pocket 
Le  apj)ointod  certain  pursuiis  to  go  round  among  the  inf^mbi'ia 
of  the  Society,  and  receive  a  penny  a-week  or  whatever  they 
felt  disposed  to  give.  These  collectors  being  men  of  piety, 
wlien  receiving  the  penny  from  efich  one.  in  return  gave  a 
\\ord  of  Ciiristian  advice  and  exhortation.  Soon,  however,  it 
was  found  more  convenient  for  tiie  tnemhers  of  the  Society  to 
bring  in  their  pennies  at  an  appointed  time  and  place,  and  i)ay 
the  same  over  to  the  collectors,  the  latter  in  every  case  giving 
advice  and  exhortation.  From  this  circumstance  arose  the  dis- 
tinct formation  of  classes,  and  the  ap])ointment  of  class-leaders 
to  take  charge  of  a  limited  number  of  the  members  in  Society 
in  the  absence  of  Mr.  Wesley ;  and  in  pursuing  the  above  plan, 
not  only  wjus  the  cjiapel  debt  in  due  time  cancelled,  but  the 
members  were  individually  strengthened  and  encouraged  to 
persevere  in  the  way  of  holiness. 

About  this  time,  or  shortlv  after,  watch-nio-ht  meetings  were 
held  among  the  poor  colliers  of  Kingswood  near  Bristol.  Those 
men  while  in  a  state  of  sin  and  ignorance,  had  been  in  tiie 
habit  of  spending  their  Saturday  evenings  to  a  late  hour  at  the 
tavern  or  ale-house  in  the  most  profane  and  boisterous  manner; 
but  after  liaving  listened  to  the  preachino*  of  Weslev  and  Whit- 
field,  they  heartily  renounced  their  sins  and  became  "  new  men 
in  Christ  Jesus."  Their  Saturday  evenings,  instead  of  being 
spent  as  heretofore,  were  spent  in  the  more  becoming  manner 
of  praying  to,  and  praising  God  ;  and  such  was  the  success  at' 
tending  these  late  meetings  of  the  colliers  that  Mr.  Wesley  af 
terward,  in  1742,  introduced  them  into  the  Society  in  London, 
having  lield  th^^m  at  first  once  a  month,  and  then  once  a 
quarter. 

In  the  meanwhile  Societies  were  being  raised  up  in  differ 
ents  parts  of  England  and  Wales,  and  new  doors  were  contin- 
ually being  opened    for   the  Wesleys.     New  fields  of  labor 
were  constantly  presenting  themselves  before  them,  and  cries  of 
a  Macedonian  nature  were  multiplying  on  every  hand.     Tje 


i 


10 


KI'iSCOI'.M.    MKTIlDDlSM. 


W.slcys  (lid  iini  olicy  Uicsc  (•••ills  williont,  subjcctiti!;  tlionisclvoR 
t')  r.'|ii(»a('li  !itr    |icr-;<'cutioii.     From  tlin  Arclil>isli(>|»  of  ('iiiitcr- 
Ittiry  down  to  the  scrvilf  ciiraff  of  an  ol)st'urft  |t.'iiisli,  and  from 
the  peer  down  to  tln'  scum  of  tin-  people,  tlicir   niotivrs  wcro 
iiiisjnd-'.'d,  tli<'ir  actions  misrepresent. -d,  their  sccmini;-  irroj^u- 
hirities  condemned,  and  in  some  cases   their  persons  were  in 
sidtcil ;  hnt.  in  spit-  of  ccclesiasti(!al  opposition,  or  the  rude  in 
Milts  of  the  profane,  the  Work  of  (lod  continued  to  spread  fai 
and  wide.     (/(jnLjreLfatiijns  nuiid>erini4  from  on(!  to  fifteen  thou- 
sand wero  frcrpiently  c()llec:tc(l  to  hear  the.  Ljlorious  doctrine  of 
tht!  cross:  and  many  of  them  not  only  heanl  but  believed,  and 
were  saved.     As  many  of  such  as  desire(l  W(;re  jK-rmittcd    to 
become  members  of  the  Society,  that   they  mieht  ine(!t  from 
time  to  time  for  mutual   edilication   and   instruction.     As  the 
Societies  continued  to  multijily  it  became  necessary  to  adopt 
some  rule  of  conduct  as   ;i  condition  of  membership,  and   in 
1'74.'3,  the  ijener.d  rules  of  the  vSocieties  were  adopted  and  ]>ub- 
lished  bv  Mr.  Wesley.     'ihes(!  rules  in  substance  remain  the 
same  at  the  present  time,  ami  W((  have  no  <loubt  will   continue 
ill  substance  wliat  they  ever  have  I)e(.'n   as   loiii^  as  Methodism 
exists.     As  Societies  multiplied  it  became  necessary  to  leave  the 
same  under  the  sj)iritual  eiiidance  of  some  oik;  or  more  pious 
and  judicious  men,  who,  in  the  absence  of  Mr.  Wesley,  would  ex- 
ercise a  kind  of  j)asLoral  su[)ervision  over  them.     Where  the  cler- 
jj^yman  of  a  parish  would  consent  to  take  such  supervision,  Mr. 
Wesley  gladly  availed  himself  of  such  aid,  and  it  is  gratifyino- 
to  know  that  there  were  a  few  evangelical  ciergyiiien  of  the 
Church  of  ICnglaiid  who  becanui  faithful   laborious  co-workers 
with  Mr.  Wesley  in  this  and  other  respects;  ])ut  when,  as  ir. 
most  cases,  the  ministers  of  the  Establishment  not  only  with- 
lieid   their  co-operation,  but  openly  and  rudely  ojtposed   the 
work  of  God,  it  became  necessary  to  select  other  persons  who 
would  act  as  far  as  they  C(juld  in  giving  assistance  to  Mr.  Wes- 
ley in  the  spiiilual  sup<.'rvision  of  his  Societies.     Hence  arose 
the  necessity  tor  lay-preachers,  or  men  who  had  not  been  ejiisco- 


LVV-l>UKAf'HKKa. 


i% 


pally  ordained  l»y  tlu;  autliority  of  tlio  (JImrcli  of  KtiLjland,  At 
fifist  Mr.  Wfsli'y  appears  to  liav«!  Ix'cii  opposed  to  tho  preach- 
iiii^  of  laymen,  Iml  in  this  as  in  many  otln'r  respects  his  oppo- 
sition was  overcome  by  the  seominsjf  in(licatif)ns  ot  tho  I'rovi- 
dencc  of  (Jod.  While  prepariiiif  to  leave  Loiidoti  for  a  timo 
he  re(pii'st(fd  Mr.  Thomas  MaxlieKl,  a  yoimi^  tnaii  of  respectihio 
talents,  to  pray  with  atid  advis<5  the  S«x'iety  in  his  al)sence. 
After  havinu*  exercised  his  trifts  several  week",  aceorditicj  to  tho 
re<iiiest  of  Mr.  Wesley,  he  at  lenijjth  thought  it  to  be  his  duty 
to  expound  a  portion  of  Scripture,  and  did  so  much  to  thci  sat- 
isfaction and  edilication  of  the  Society  ;  but  when  Mr.  Wesley 
heard  at  a  <listance  of  Mr.  Maxtield's  attemj)ts  to  preach  he 
hurricfl  back  to  London  with  all  speed  to  put  a  stop  to  what 
lie  considered  an  oiilraije  upon  (;rder  and  propriety.  Before, 
however,  he  apitroached  Maxtield  for  tlu;  purposij  of  silencinj^ 
him,  Mr.  Wesley's  mother  interfered  by  sayiny;,  "  .IV)hn,  tako 
care  what  you  do  with  respect  to  that  younii;  man,  for  ho  is  as 
surely  called  of  (iod  to  preach  as  you  are.*'  ^fr.  Wesley  hesi- 
tated, waited  until  he  had  himself  heard  Maxfield  preach,  wit- 
nessed the  etfects  produced  by  such  preaching,  and  concluded, 
indeed,  that  if  not  in  the  order  of  the  Church  of  Kni>land  that 
unordained  men  should  preach  the  gospel,  it  was  certaiidy  in 
accordance  with  the  will  of  heaven.  From  this  period  lay- 
preachers  began  to  multiply,  and  it  is  owing  to  the  lalior.s  of 
those  men  that  the  stoiu;  which  first  was  set  in  motion  by  the 
Wesleys,  has  rolled  witii  increasing  dimensions  and  velocity 
throughout  England,  and  other  parts  of  tho  earth. 


SECTION   IV. 


We  have  stated  in  the  previous  sections,  that  the  Messrs. 
Wesley  were  the  subjects  of  reproach  and  persecution,  and  the 
same  is  true  of  many  of  those  who  adopted  their  views  and 
became  members  of  their  Societies.     It  may  not  be  uninterest- 


Hi 


tmfim 


m 


18 


EPISCOPAL    METHODISM. 


Sf 


ing  or  unprofitable  to  the  reader,  to  give  a  lew  instances  of 
bitter  hostility  on  the  part  of  clergymen  and  others,  to  the 
early  Methodists,  which  fticts  we  glean  principally  from  Wesley's 

Journal. 

While  Mr.  Wesley  was  on  one  occasion  preaching  in  Bath, 
the  notorious  Beau  Nash,  the  prince  of  ftishion  and  dissipation, 
approached  the  preacher  and  inquired  by  what  authority  he 
said  those  things  ?  Mr.  Wesley  at  once  replied  :  "  By  the 
authority  of  Jesus  Christ,  conveyed  to  me  by  the  (now)  Arch- 
bishop of  Canterbury  when  he  laid  his  hands  upon  me  and 
said,  '  Take  thou  authority  to  preach  the  gospel.' "  Nash  said 
to  him,  "This  is  contrary  to  act  of  Parliament,  this  is  a  con- 
venticle." Wesley  replied,  "  Sir,  the  conventicles  mentioned  m 
that  act  are  seditious  meetings  ;  but  this  is  not  such,  here  is  nc 
shadow  of  sedition ;  therefore  it  is  not  contrary  to  that  act." 
Nash  rejilied,  "  I  say  it  is ;  and  beside,  your  preaching  frightens 
people  out  of  their  wits."  "  Sir,  did  you  ever  hear  me  preach  ?" 
"  No."  "  How  then  can  you  judge  of  what  you  never  heard  f" 
"Sir,  by  common  report."  "Common  report,  Sir,  is  not 
enough.  Give  me  leave,  Sir,  to  ask,  is  not  your  name  Nash  ?" 
"My  name  is  Nash."  "  Sir,  I  dare  not  judge  of  you  by  com- 
mon report,  I  think  it  is  not  enough  to  judge  by."  After  pausing 
awhile,  Nash  recovered  himself,  and  said,  "  I  desire  to  know 
what  these  people  come  here  for :"  on  which  an  old  lady  re- 
plied, "  Sir,  leave  him  to  me ;  let  an  old  woman  answer  him  ; 
you,  Mr.  Nash,  take  care  of  your  lx)dy ;  we  take  care  of  our 
souls,  and  for  the  food  of  our  souls  we  come  here."  Nash, 
being  thus  confounded  by  the  old  lady,  walked  off  withou*', 
adding  another  word. 

At  a  certain  time,  Mr.  Charles  Wesley  visited  Gloucester  in 
company  with  Thomas  Maxfield,  and  repaired  to  a  place  called 
Bengeworth  for  the  purpose  of  seeing  Mr.  Benjamin  Scvard, 
an  old  friend  and  fellow-Christian.  They  however  found  that 
Mr.  S.  had  been  for  some  time  sick  of  a  fever,  and  that  during 
his  sickness,  bis  relations,  who  were  violent  opposers  of  the 


m 


OPPOSITION    AT    GLOUCESTER. 


19 


truth,  had  intercepted  all  his  letters  and  called  his  fever  mad- 
ness, and  had  placed  servants  over  him  to  prevent  any  Methodist 
from  coming  near  him.  Instead  of  being  permitted  to  see,  and 
converse  with  his  friends,  Mr.  Henry  Seward,  a  brother  of  the 
sick  man,  gave  Mr.  Wesley  plenty  of  abuse,  by  calling  him  a 
scoundrel,  rascal,  pickpocket,  &c.  Mr.  Wesley  made  but  little 
reply,  but  gave  notice  that  on  the  next  day  he  would  preach 
near  Mr.  Seward's  house — the  usual  place  of  preaching.  Mr. 
H.  Seward  forbade  his  preaching  near  his  brother's  premises, 
and  threatened  his  arrest  if  he  did  so,  and  gave  him  notice,  , 
that  four  constables  were  engaged  to  effect  the  arrest.  At  the 
appointed  time,  Mr.  Wesley  proceeded  toward  the  place  of 
appointment,  but  was  met  by  the  Mayor's  officer,  who  requested 
Mr.  Wesley  to  accompany  him  to  the  Mayor's  office.  Mr. 
Wesley  told  the  functionary  that  he  reverenced  the  Mayor,  on 
account  of  his  office,  but  that  ho  "  must  first  wait  on  the  Lord, 
and  then  on  the  Mayor."  As  he  proceeded  toward  the  place 
of  meeting,  he  was  met  by  Mr.  Seward,  who  threatened  and 
reviled  him  in  an  outrageous  manner.  The  only  reply  made 
by  Mr.  Wesley,  consisted  in  singing  the  well-known  lines, 

"  Shall  I  for  fear  of  feeble  man, 
The  Spirit's  course  in  me  restrain  ?"  <fec., 

but  this,  instead  of  quieting  Mr.  S.  only  served  to  make  him 
more  furious,  and  calling  some  vile  fellows  to  his  aid,  they  laid 
hold  on  Mr.  Wesley  and  led  him  out  of  the  corporation.  As 
soon  as  his  captors  let  go  their  hold,  Mr.  Wesley  again  com- 
menced singing,  and  to  the  hundreds  who  followed  as  spectators 
of  the  scene,  he  preached  with  great  liberty  and  power,  from 
the  words :  "  If  God  be  for  us,  who  can  be  against  us  ?"  After 
sermon,  he  went  to  the  Mayor's  office,  where  he  also  met  a 
clergyman  who  was  much  incensed  against  him,  and  who  found 
fault  with  the  writings  and  proceedings  of  the  We^leys  and 
Whitfield.  Mr.  Wesley  told  him  that  if  he  was  a  carnal, 
worldly-minded  clergymrin,  he  would  leave  with  him  the  sep- 


20 


KPlSC'Ul'AL    .MKTIIOUISM. 


Ml 


if  i 


ir 


tence  of  Chrysostoni,  "  Hell  is  paved  with  the  skulls  of  Christian 
priests."  After  some  apology  hy  the  Mayor  for  the  violence 
used,  Mr,  Wesley  left  the  office,  preferring  jiot  to  enter  any 
complaint  against  those  who  had  maltreated  liini. 

Shortly  after  this  transaction,  Mr.  Charles  Wesley  being  in 
Bristol,  went  to  Temple  churcii  and  listened  to  a  sermon  wherein 
the  preacher  strongly  recommended  religion  as  the  best  way  to 
raise  a  fortune.  l*erceiving  Mr.  Wesley  in  the  congreiration, 
he,  after  sermon,  caused  the  clerk  to  make  proclamation  that 
none  should  remain  to  the  sacrament,  who  did  not  belong  to 
that  parish.  Mr.  W.  while  wondering  at  the  strange  proce- 
dure which  drove  scores  of  worthy  persons  from  the  church, 
did  not  suspect  that  the  proclamation  was  made  for  his  special 
benefit ;  but  he  was  quickly  informed  of  the  fact  by  the  clerk, 
who  went  to  him  and  respectfully  told  him  that  Mr.  B.  the 
officiating  clergyman,  bade  him  go  away,  for  he  would  not  give 
him  the  sacrament.  Mr.  W.  thinli  :;.'  there  must  be  some 
mistake,  went  to  the  vestry  door  a.:d  ji  -'tiy  asked  admission. 
"Are  you  of  this  parish?"  inquired  the  minister.  "Sir,  you 
see  that  I  am  a  clergyman,"  replied  Mr.  Wesley ;  on  which, 
the  former,  dropping  his  pretence  of  not  knowing  him,  boldly 
charged  him  with  rebellion  in  expounding  the  Scriptures  with- 
out authority,  and  in  express  language  informed  him  that  he 
repelled  him  from  the  sacrament.  Mr.  W.  in  reply,  cited  him 
to  answer  for  such  conduct  uv^f-^'-e  Jesus  Christ  in  the  day  of 
judgment.  This  enraged  the  already  angry  minister,  who 
called  to  certain  constables  who  were  present,  "  Here,  take  away 
this  man."  Mr.  AV.  however,  saved  them  the  trouble  of  taking 
him  away,  by  quietly  leaving  the  Good  Shepherd  and  his 
flock  to  themselves. 

In  this  same  city  of  Bristol,  Mr.  John  Wesley  was  frequently 
assailed  by  mobs,  who  attempted  not  only  to  disturb  his 
preaching,  but  injure  his  person.  On  one  occasion,  while  ex- 
pounding the  former  part  of  the  twenty-third  chai)ter  of  the 
Acts  of  the  Apostles,  "  not  only  the  courts  and  the  alleys,  but 


PROTECTED    BY    GEORGE    III. 


m 


all  the  street  upward  and  downward,  was  filled  with  people 
shouting,  cursing,  and  swearing,  and  ready  to  sivalluw  tb  j 
ground  with  fierceness  and  rage."  After  much  ettbrt  on  the 
part  of  the  Mayor,  and  chief  constable,  the  ringleaders  were 
arrested  and  brought  before  the  court  of  (Quarter  Sessions,  and 
receiving  some  slight  punishment,  were  liberated.  The  decision 
of  the  Mayor  prevented  the  recurrence  of  any  such  disgraceful 
proceedings  in  that  city. 

In  London  also,  the  Methodists  were  much  exposed  to  per- 
secution and  the  fury  of  an  enraged  and  beastly  population. 
They  were  frequently  pelted  witn  showers  of  stones,  and  an  at- 
tempt was  once  made  to  unroof  the  Foundry  Chapel  while  the 
conffreffation  were  assembled  for  worship.  These  things  were 
done  openly,  the  ignorant  mob  supposing  that  there  was  x\o 
law  against  abusing  or  even  killing  the  Methodists.  These 
London  riots  were,  however,  shortly  after  discontinued,  by  the 
influence  of  the  reigning  king,  George  IIL,  who,  in  conversa- 
tion with  a  Quaker  gentleman,  who  had  previously  resided  in 
Oxford,  and  who  was  well  acquainted  with  the  Messrs.  AVesley, 
in  answer  to  a  question  of  the  king,  whether  he  knew  the  Wes- 
leys  who  were  making  such  a  noise  in  the  nation,  replied,  "  I 
know  them  well,  king  George,  and  thou  mayest  be  assured  that 
thou  hast  not  two  better  men  in  thy  kingdom,  nor  men  that 
love  thee  better,  than  John  and  Charles  Wesley."  After  this 
conversation,  the  Justices  of  the  Peace  in  and  around  London 
received  "  orders  from  above,"  to  do  the  Methodists  justice, 
whenever  the  latter  i-hould  apply  for  a  redress  of  grievances. 
Subsequently,  a  few  arrests  were  made,  and  slight  punishments 
inflicted,  which  served  to  put  an  end  to  violent  persecution  in 
London. 

But  while  the  liberty  of  worshipping  God  was  thus  being 
secured  to  the  Methodists  in  Bristol  and  London,  in  other  parts 
of  England  the  storm  of  persecution  raged  with  uimitigated 
fury.  In  his  journal,  under  date  of  March  19,  1742,  John 
Wesley  says :  "  I  rode  once  more  to  Pensford,  at  the  eainest 


•>» 


' 

«            , 

* 

V 

( 

22 


EPISCOPAL    MKTHODIRM. 


request  of  several  serious  people.  The  place  where  they  de- 
sired me  to  preach,  was  a  httic  green  spot  near  the  town.  But 
I  had  no  sooner  begun,  than  a  great  company  of  rabble,  hired 
— as  we  afterwards  found — for  that  purpose,  came  furiously 
upon  us,  bringing  a  bull  which  they  had  been  baiting,  and 
now  strove  to  drive  in  among  the  people.  But  the  beast  was 
wiser  th^.n  his  drivers  ;  and  continually  ran  either  on  one,  or 
the  other,  while  we  quietly  sang  praise  to  God,  and  prayed,  fur 
about  an  hour.  The  poor  wretches,  finding  themselves  disap- 
pointed, at  length  seized  upon  *A\e  bull,  now  weak  and  tired, 
after  being  so  long  torn  and  beaien  both  by  dogs  and  men, 
and  by  main  strength  ]iartly  dragged  and  partly  thrust  him  in 
among  the  people.  When  they  had  found  their  way  to  the 
little  table  on  which  I  stood,  they  strove  several  times  to  throw 
it  down,  by  thrusting  the  helpless  beast  against  it ;  who  of 
himself  stirred  no  more  than  a  log  of  wood.  I  once  or  twice 
put  aside  his  head  with  my  hand,  that  the  blood  might  not 
drop  upon  my  clothes,  intending  to  go  on  as  soon  as  the  hurry 
should  be  a  little  over.  But  the  table  falling  down,  some  of 
my  friends  caught  me  in  their  arms,  and  cjirried  me  right 
av/ay  on  their  shoulders,  while  the  rabl)le  wreaked  their  ven- 
geance on  the  table,  which  they  tore  bit  from  bit.  We  went 
a  little  way  off,  where  I  finished  my  discourse  without  any 
noise  or  interru])tion." 

While  visiting  Epworth — his  native  town — at  a  certain  time, 
Mr.  Wesley  was  informed  that  in  a  neighboring  town,  a  whole 
wagon  load  of  Methodists  had  been  carried  before  a  justice  of 
the  peace  :  Mr.  Wesley  accordingly  rode  over  to  see  the  jus- 
tice, and  if  necessary,  befriend  those  who  had  been  carried  be 
fore  him.  The  justice  inquired  of  the  self-constituted  guard- 
ians of  religion  and  morals,  what  the  Methodists  had  done. 
*'  Why,  they  pretend  to  be  better  than  othc  people  ;  and  be- 
sides, they  pray  from  morning  till  night."  "  But  have  they 
done  nothing  besides  ?"  "  Yes,  sir,"  said  an  old  man,  "  an't 
pjease  your  worship,  they  have  convarted  my  wife.     Till  she 


VISIT    TO    EPWOKTII. 


23 


went  among  them,  she  had  such  a  tongue  !  and  now  she  is  as 
quiet  as  a  lamb."  "Carry  them  back,  carry  tliem  back,"  said 
the  justice,  "  and  let  them  convert  all  the  scolds  in  the  town." 

At  a  time  when  Mr.  Wesley,  at  a  place  called  Great  Gar- 
dens, went  to  preach,  he  found  a  great  multitude  gathered  to- 
gether, and  he  remarks  in  his  journal,  "  Many  of  the  worst  of 
the  people  labored  to  disturb  those  who  were  of  a  better  mind. 
They  endeavored  to  drive  in  a  herd  of  cows  among  them,  but 
the  brutes  were  wiser  l'  an  their  masters.  They  then  threw 
whole  showers  of  stones,  one  of  wliich  struck  me  just  between 
the  eyes,  but  I  felt  no  pain  at  all,  and  when  I  had  wiped  away 
the  blood,  went  on  testifying  with  a  loud  voice  that  '  God  had 
given  to  them  that  believe,  not  the  spirit  of  fear,  but  of  power, 
and  of  love,  and  of  a  sound  mind.'  " 

Early  in  the  year  1743,  Mr.  John  Wesley  again  visited  Ep- 
worth,  the  place  of  his  birth,  and  the  scene  of  his  own  and  his 
father's  pastoral  labors  in  former  years.  The  curate,  Mr.  Rom- 
ley,  owed  not  only  his  curacy,  but  all  he  had  in  this  world  to 
the  kindness  of  Mr.  Wesley,  Sen.,  and  yet  this  curate  would 
not  allow  the  son  to  preach  in  the  church  where  his  deceased 
father  had  administered  the  word  of  life  fur  many  years.  John, 
however,  when  he  could  secure  a  congregation,  was  at  no  loss 
for  a  pulpit  or  a  church,  as  long  as  a  table  or  rock  could  fur- 
nish the  one,  or  the  wide-spread  field  the  other.  On  the  pres- 
ent occasion,  he  preached  at  eight  in  the  morning  from  his 
father's  tomb-stone,  to  a  large  assemblage,  not  only  from  Ep- 
worth,  but  from  the  neighboring  towns.  As  it  was  Sacrament 
Sunday,  these  last  inquired  of  Mr.  Wesley  if  it  would  not  be 
well  for  them  to  receive  it.  Mr.  Wesley  replied,  "  By  all 
means  ;  but  it  will  be  more  respectful  first  to  ask  the  curate's 
leave."  One  accordingly  went  to  the  curate  in  the  name  of 
the  rest,  to  whom  the  curate  said,  "  Pray  tell  Mr.  Wesley  I 
shall  not  give  him  the  Sacrament,  for  he  is  not  fit.''''  This  un- 
pleasant incident,  however,  instead  of  begetting  in  Mr.  Wesley 
a  warmth  of  temper,  or  a  desire  to  reproach  and  find  fault,  only 


■ri 


;.  i^ 


/       ^ 


•21 


KPISCOl'AL    METHODISM. 


led  liim  to  humble  himself  bf'ibre  the  (Jod  of  his  father,  and  be 
exclaims,  "  How  giviit  ;i  (Jod  is  our  (Jud  !  There  could  not 
have  been  so  fit  a  place  under  heaven,  uhere  this  should  befall 
me  lirst,  as  my  fether's  house,  the  iilnce  of  my  nativity,  and  the 
very  place  where,  according  to  the  strictest  seci  of  our  religion, 
1  lived  a  Pharisee.  It  was  also  fit  in  the  highest  degree,  that 
he  who  repelled  me  from  that  very  table  where  I  had  myself 
so  often  distributed  the  bread  of  life,  should  be  one  vvlio  owed 
his  all  in  tiiis  world  to  the  tender  love  which  iiiy  father  had 
shown  his,  as  well  as  personally  to  himself."  Let  the  reader 
remember  that  while  the  Wesleys  were  thus  denied  the  j)rivi- 
leges  accorded  to  the  humblest  member  of  the  established 
church,  they  were  ministers  ordained  by  her  autliority,  set 
apart  by  her  bisliops,  and  the  only  thing  which  rendered  them 
unfit  to  be  comnnmicants  at  the  altars  of  their  own  church,  was 
the  fact  that  they  were  zealous  for  the  salvation  of  souls  :  that 
while  they  labored  to  save  men  from  sin — from  drunkenness, 
Sabbath-breaking,  profanity,  &c. — some  of  the  very  ministers 
who  were  the  loudest  in  their  denunciations  of  the  Wesleys  and 
their  adherents  were  themselves  drunkards  and  Sabbath -break- 
ers. As  an  exemplification  of  this  fact,  we  may  state  th  it  on 
one  occasion,  while  John  Wesley  was  preaching  at  a  ]ilace 
called  Wednesbuiy,  a  gentleman  rode  up  very  drunk,  and  after 
using  many  bitter  and  reviling  words  to  Mr.  Wesley  and  the 
congregation,  endeavored  to  ride  over  the  people  !  And  yet 
this  gentleman  was  a  zealous  son  of  the  church,  a  clergyman 
who  ministered  at  her  altars,  and  who,  in  his  own  estimation, 
and,  no  doubt,  in  the  estimation  of  others  of  his  clerical  l-reth- 
ren,  was  too  h(jly  to  commune  at  the  table  of  the  Lortl  with 
such  a  man  as  ^Ii'.  Wesley  ! 

At  the  place  last  mentioned — Wednesbury — ^Ir.  Wesley 
had  frequently  preached  without  molestatit)n,  and  with  such 
success,  that  in  a  short  time,  over  three  hundred  were  joined 
together  as  a  Society  ;  but  the  j^arish  minister,  supposing  his 
craft  to  be  in  danger,  raised  such  a  storm  of  persecution  against 


MOB    AT    WEDNKSnUIlV. 


25 


the  uiioff'iuliiig  inGml)ors,  as  would  have  disgraced  a  commu- 
nity of  ]>ao;an.s.  Mr.  Wesley  has  given  in  liis  Journal,  vol.  ill. 
pages  205-9,  a  brief  account  of  the  riots;  which  followed  ra  the 
result  of  the  iiitluence  exerted  by  the  infamous  and  unworthy 
clergyman  above  alluded  to.  As  his  description  is  as  brief  and 
correct  as  any  that  can  be  given,  we  will  favor  the  reader  by 
quoting  his  language. — "  1743,  Oct.  20. — After  ])reaching  to  a 
small,  attentive  congregation,  I  rode  to  Wednesbury.  At 
twelve  I  preached  in  a  ground  near  the  middle  of  the  town,  to 
a  far  larger  congregation  than  was  expected,  on  '  Jesus  Christ, 
the  same  yesterday,  to-day,  and  forever.'  1  believe  every  one 
present  felt  the  power  of  God,  and  no  creature  offered  to  molest 
us,  either  going  or  coining  ;  but  the  Lord  fought  for  us,  and 
we  held  our  peace.  I  was  writing  at  Francis  Ward's,  in  the 
afternoon,  when  the  cry  arose,  '  that  the  mob  liad  beset  the 
house  !'  We  praye-d  that  God  would  disjx'rse  them  ;  and  it 
was  so  :  one  went  this  way,  and  another  that,  so  that  in  half 
an  hour  not  a  man  was  left.  I  told  our  brethren,  '  Now  is  the 
time  for  us  to  go  ;'  but  they  pressed  me  exceedingly  to  stay. 
So — that  I  might  not  otiend  them — I  sat  down,  though  I  fore- 
saw what  would  follow.  Before  five,  the  mob  surrounded  the 
house  again  in  greater  numbers  than  ever.  The  cry  of  one  and 
all  was,  '  Bring  out  the  minister — we  will  have  the  minister.' 
I  desired  one  to  take  their  captain  by  the  hand,  and  bring  him 
into  the  house.  After  a  few  sentences  exchanged  between  us, 
the  lion  was  become  the  lamb.  I  desired  him  to  go  and  bring 
one  or  two  of  the  most  angry  of  his  compatiions.  lie  brought 
in  two,  who  were  ready  to  swallow  the  ground  with  rage  ;  but 
in  two  minutes  they  were  as  calm  as  he.  I  then  bade  them 
make  way,  that  I*  might  go  out  among  the  people.  As  soon 
as  I  was  in  the  midst  of  them,  I  called  for  a  chair,  and  stand- 
ing up,  asked,  '  What  do  any  of  you  want  with  me  V  Some 
said,  '  We  want  you  to  go  to  the  justice.'  I  replied,  '  That  I 
will,  with  all  my  heart'  I  then  spoke  a  few  words,  which  God 
applied ;  so  that  they  cried  out  with  might  and  main,  '  Thf 


/ 


uu    > 


I  \ 


i 


'28 


KPISCOrAL    METHODISM. 


gi^tlrinan  is  an  honest  jjentleman,  and  we  will  spill  our  blood 
in  liis  defence.'  I  asked,  '  Shall  we  go  to  the  justice  to-night, 
or  in  the  morning  V  Most  of  them  cried, '  To-night,  to-night ;' 
on  which  I  went  before,  and  two  or  three  hundred  followed, 
the  rest  returning  whence  they  came. 

"  The  night  came  on  before  we  had  walked  a  mile,  together 
with  heavy  rain.  However,  on  we  went  to  Bently  Hall,  two 
miles  from  Wednesbury.  One  or  two  ran  before  to  tell  Mr. 
Lane  that  they  had  brought  Mr.  Wesley  before  his  worship. 
Mr.  Lane  replied,  '  What  have  I  to  do  with  Mr.  Wesley  ?  go 
and  carry  him  back  again.'  By  this  time  the  main  body  came 
up,  and  began  knocking  at  the  door.  A  servant  told  them 
Mr.  Lane  was  in  bed.  His  son  followed  and  asked  what  was 
the  matter.  One  replied,  '  Why,  an't  please  you,  they  sing 
psalms  all  day,  nay,  and  make  folks  rise  at  five  in  the  morning, 
and  what  would  your  worship  advise  us  to  do  ?'  '  To  go  home,' 
said  Mr.  Lane,  '  and  be  quiet.' " 

"Here  they  were  at  a  full  stop,  till  one  advised  to  go  to 
Justice  Persehouse,  at  Walsal.  All  agreed  to  this;  so  we 
hastened  on,  and  al)out  seven,  came  to  his  house.  But  Mr.  P. 
likewise  sent  word  that  he  was  in  bed.  Now  they  were  at  a 
stand  again  ;  but  they  all  thought  it  the  wisest  course  to  make 
the  best  of  their  way  home.  About  fifty  of  them  undertook 
to  convey  me,  but  we  had  not  gone  a  hundred  yards  when  the 
mob  of  Walsal  came  pouring  in  like  a  flood,  and  bore  down 
all  before  them.  The  Daralston  mob  made  what  defence  they 
could,  but  they  were  weary  as  well  as  outnumbered  ;  so  that  in 
a  short  time  many  being  knocked  down,  the  rest  ran  away  and 
left  me  in  their  hands." 

"  To  attempt  speaking  was  in  vain ;  for  the  noise  on  every 
side  was  like  the  i-oaring  of  the  sea.  So  they  dragged  me 
along  till  we  came  to  town,  when  seeing  the  door  of  a  large 
house  open — I  attempted  to  go  in  ;  but  a  man  catching  me  by 
the  hair  pulled  me  back  into  the  middle  of  the  mob.  They 
made  no  more  stop  till  they  had  carried  me  through  the  main 


ESCAl'E    FKOM    TFIE    MOB. 


27 


street  from  une  end  of  the  town  to  the  other.  I  continued 
speaking  all  the  time  to  those  within  hearing,  feeling  no  pain 
or  weariness.  At  the  west  end  of  the  town,  seeing  a  door  half- 
open,  I  made  toward  it  and  would  have  gone  in  ;  but  a  gentle- 
man in  the  shop  would  not  sufter  mo,  saying  they  would  pull 
the  house  down  to  the  ground.  However,  I  stood  at  the  door 
and  asked,  'Are  you  willing  to  hear  me  speak?'  Many  cried 
out,  '  No,  no  !  knock  his  brains  out ;  down  with  him  ;  kill  him 
at  once.'  Others  said,  '  Nay,  but  we  will  hear  him  first.'  I 
began  asking,  '  What  evil  have  I  done  ?  Which  of  you  all 
have  I  wronged  in  word  or  deed  V  And  continued  speaking 
for  above  a  quarter  of  an  hour  till  my  voice  suddenly  failed  ; 
then  the  Hoods  began  to  lift  up  their  voice  again,  many  crying 
out,  '  Bring  liim  away,  bring  him  away!' " 

"In  the  meantine,  my  voice  and  my  strength  returned,  and 
I  broke  out  aloud  into  prayer.  And  now  the  man  who  just 
before  headed  the  mob,  turned  and  said,  '  Sir,  I  will  spend  my 
hfe  for  you ;  follow  me,  and  not  one  soul  shall  touch  a  hair  of 
your  head.'  Two  or  three  other  fellows  confirmed  his  words, 
and  got  close  to  me  immediately.  At  the  same  time,  the  gen- 
tleman in  the  shop  cried  out,  '  For  shame,  for  shame !  let  him 
go.'  An  lionest  butcher  who  was  a  little  further  oflf,  said  it 
was  a  shame  to  do  thus,  and  pulled  back  four  or  five,  one  after 
another,  who  were  running  on  the  most  fiercely.  The  people 
then,  as  if  by  common  consent,  fell  back  to  the  right  and  left; 
while  those  three  or  four  men  took  mo  between  them  and 
carried  mo  through  them  all.  But  on  the  bridge,  the  mob 
rallied  again  ;  we  therefore  went  on  one  side,  over  the  miii- 
dam,  aud  thence  through  the  meadows;  till  a  little  before  ten, 
God  brought  me  safe  to  Wednesbury,  having  lost  only  one  flap 
of  my  waistcoat  and  a  little  skin  from  one  of  mv  hands." 

Such  was  one  of  the  "  fiery  trials"  through  which  Mr.  Wesley 
was  called  to  pass ;  and  a  natural  inquiry  of  the  philosopher 
and  Christian  will  be.  With  what  spirit  did  the  apostle  of 
Methodism  endure  the  rage  of  his  enemies  ?     In  reading  the 


EPISCOPAL    MKTHOniSM. 


t 


extracts  'n^f  givon,  the  rcador  may  have  been  struck  with  th^- 
evident  intention  of  Mr.  Wesley  to  give  tlio  aeeount  in  tho 
mildest  possible  language,  and  to  pn-sent  every  redeeming  trait 
of  charaeU'r  and  eondiiet  that  \v;is  manifested  by  his  cruel  ene- 
mies, Jjiit,  It't  lis  hear  liim  further,  in  relation  to  this  instance 
of  jjersecution.  "1  never  saw  such  a  chain  <>f  providence's  be- 
fore ;  HO  many  convincing  proofs  that  the  hand  of  (!od  is  on 
every  person  and  thing,  ovcM-ruiing  all  a^-  seemeth  him  good. 
The  poor  woman  (jf  J.)arlaston,  who  had  headed  that  mot),  and 
sworn  that  none  should  touch  me,  when  she  saw  her  followers 
give  way,  run  into  the  thickest  of  th(i  thiong,  and  knocked 
down  three  or  four  men,  one  after  another.  ]  Jut  many  assaulting 
lier  at  once,  she  was  soon  overpowered,  and  had  probably  been 
killed  in  a  few  minutes — three  men  keeping  her  down  and 
beatinii"  her  with  all  their  might — had  not  a  man  called  to  one 
of  them,  '  Hold,  Tom,  hold !'  '  Who  is  there,'  said  Tom. 
'  What  1  honest  Munchin  ?  Nay  then,  let  lier  go.'  So  they, 
held  her  hand  and  let  her  get  uj)  and  crawl  home  as  well  as  she 
could.  From  the  beginning  to  the  end  I  found  the  same  pres- 
ence of  mind  as  if  1  had  been  sitting  in  my  own  study.  But 
I  look  no  thought  for  one  moment  before  another ;  only  once 
it  came  into  my  mind  that  if  they  should  throw  me  iiito  the 
river  it  would  spoil  the  papers  that  were  in  my  pocket.  For 
p^yself,  I  did  not  doubt  but  I  should  swim  across,  having  but 
a  thin  coat  and  a  light  })air  of  boots." 

Mr.  Wesley  next  proceeds  in  his  Journal  to  recount  a  few  of 
tlie  more  remarkable  incidents  of  tlie  riot  in  the  following 
words : — 

"  Tlici  circumstances  that  follow,  I  thought  more  particularly 
remarkable :  1.  That  many  endeavored  to  throw  me  down 
while  we  were  going  down  hill,  on  a  slippery  path  to  the  town ; 
as  well  judging  that  if  I  was  once  on  the  ground,  I  should 
hardly  rise  any  more.  But  I  made  no  stumble  at  all,  nor  the 
least  slip,  till  I  was  entirely  out  of  their  hands.  2.  That  al- 
though many  strove  to  lay  hold  on  my  collar  or  clothes,  they 


EXTKACT    KUOM    WESLEY'S    JOUUNAL. 


29 


could  not  fasten  at  all ;  only  one  got  fast  hold  of  tlio  flap  of 
my  waistcoat,  which  was  soon  left  in  his  hand  :  the  otluir  tlap, 
in  the  j)ocket  of  which  was  a  bank  note,  was  torn  but  half  off. 

3.  Tiiat  a  lusty  man  just  behind,  struck  at  me  several  times 
with  a  largo  oaken  stick ;  with  which,  if  he  had  struck  me 
once  on  tlie  back  part  of  my  head,  it  would  have  saved  him  all 
further  trouble,  liut  every  time,  the  blow  was  turned  aside,  I 
know  not  how ;  for  T  could  not  move  to  the  right  hand  or  left. 

4.  That  another  came  rushing  through  the  press,  and  raising 
his  arm  to  strike,  on  a  sudden  let  it  drop  and  only  stroked  my 
head,  saying,  '  What  soft  hair  he  has.'  5.  'J'hat  I  -stopped 
exactly  at  the  Mayor's  door  as  if  I  had  known  it — which  the 
mob  probal)ly  thought  I  did — and  found  him  standing  in  the 
shop,  which  gave  the  first  check  to  the  madness  of  the  people. 
6.  That  the  very  first  men  whose  hearts  were  turned,  were  the 
heroes  of  the  town — the  captains  of  the  rabble  on  all  occasion?, 
one  of  them  having  been  a  prize  fighter  at  the  bear  garden. 
Y.  That  from  first  to  last,  I  heard  none  give  a  reviling  word, 
or  call  me  by  any  opprobrious  namn  whatever  ;  but  the  cry  of 
one  and  all  was,  '  The  l-*reacher  !  The  I'reacher  !  The  Parson  ! 
The  Minister  !'  8.  That  no  creature,  at  least  within  my  hear- 
ing, laid  anything  to  my  charge  either  true  or  false  ;  having 
in  the  hurry,  quite  forgot  to  provide  themselves  with  an  accu- 
sation of  any  kind.  And  lastly,  That  they  were  as  utterly  at  a 
loss  to  know  what  to  do  with  me  ;  none  proposing  any  deter- 
minate thing;  only,  'Away  with  him  !  Kill  him  at  once.'" 

When  the  mob  just  described,  began  to  gather,  there  were 
a  few  of  the  Society  in  the  same  house  with  Mr.  Wesley.  All 
but  four — three  men  and  one  woman — fled  for  their  lives. 
Those  four  persons  accompanied  their  s])iritual  leader  and 
friend  wherever  he  was  led  by  the  mob,  resolved  to  die  with 
him  if  necessary;  and  it  is  somewhat  remarkable  that  none  of 
them  received  a  single  blow,  except  one  who  was  dragged  away 
from  Mr.  Wesley's  person  and  knocked  down.  The  heroic 
female  who  made  one  of  the  number  was  asked  by  Mr.  Wesley 


30 


KI'ISCOrAL    MKTIIOUIijM. 


t 


, 


>    f 


after  the  ufTray  ondod,  if  she  was  not  afrnid.  She  repliod, 
"  No,  I  could  trust  (Jod  for  you,  as  well  as  for  myself.  I  knew 
God  would  fiyht  for  liis  children." 

The  day  after,  Mr.  Wesley  left  for  Nottin<Tham,  and  wliile 
loavinjx  the  town,  was  greeted  on  every  hand  with  smiles  and 
coni^ratulations  at  his  providential  and  almost  miracidous  cs- 
caj)e. 

A  few  days  after  Wesley   had   left  Wednesbury,  the 

two  magistrates  before  whom  the  mob  had  brought  him,  and 
who  had  refused  to  see  him,  saw  fit  to  issue,  what  Mr.  Wesley 
calls,  "  MS  great  a  curiosity  of  its  kind,  as  was  ever  seen  in 
England."  It  was  directed  to  all  con;:tables,  peace  officers,  <fec., 
within  the  county,  and  read  as  follows : 

"  Whereas,  we,  his  majesty's  justices  of  the  peace  for  the 
said  county  of  Stalford,  have  received  information  that  several 
disorderly  persons  styling  themselves  Methodist  preachers,  go 
about  raising  routs  and  riots  to  the  great  damai>'e  of  his, 
majesty's  liege  people,  and  against  the  peac«i  of  our  sovereign 
lord  the  king : 

"These  are  in  his  majesty's  name  to  command  you  and  every 
one  of  you  within  your  respective  districts  to  make  diligent 
search  after  the  said  Methodist  })reachers  and  to  bring  him,  or 
them  before  some  of  us  his  said  majesty's  justices  of  the  peace 
to  be  examined  concerning  their  unlawful  doings. 

"  Given  under  our  hands  and  seals,  &c." 

The  reader  can  inter  from  the  above  warrant  how  readv  to  do 
jtistlce,  those  justices  were,  and  how  absolutely  contemptibe, 
their  conduct  appears  in  refusing  to  aid  Mr.  Wesley  while  in 
the  power  of  the  mob,  and  after  he  had  left  their  jurisdiction, 
issue  a  warrant  bearini;  falsehood  on  its  face,  accusisifj  him  of 
raising  'routs  and  riots  ;'  but  no  surprise  will  be  excited,  when 
we  consider  that  these  magistrates,  like  their  brother  clergyn)en 
— who  first  occasioned  the  riot  by  a  sermon  preaciied  against 
Mr.  AVesley — were  true  sons  of  the  church.  Nor  did  the  in- 
fluence of  those  unworthy  men  end  in  the  personal  abuse  of 


m^mm^ 


MOU    AT    KAI.MOITII. 


n 


Mr.  Wosley,  but  jiorsons  of  tho  baser  sort  worn  liirod  by  them 
and  others  to  break  open  the  doors  of  their  praying  neijifhbors, 
extort  money,  destroy  goods,  beat  the  men,  insult  tho  women, 
«tid  threaten  dfath  to  every  Methodist. 

About  two  years  after  the  al)ove  disgraceful  riot,  Mr.  Wesley 
while  in  Falmouth  was  tlu^  subject  of  another  equally  disgrace- 
ful persecution.  While  visiting  at  a  house  whei'e  he  called  to 
see  a  sick  person,  he  sudihuily  found  the  house  surrounded  on 
all  sides  by  a  large  multitude  of  people,  who  made  a  loud  and 
confused  noise  as  though  they  wcjre  taking  a  city  by  storm. 
The  inmates  of  tho  house  endeavored  to  still  the  mob,  but  in 
vain  ;  and  fearing  violenc*',  were  forced  to  seek  shelter  where 
they  could,  leaving  Mr.  Wesley  and  one  other  [)erson  to  defend 
themselves  as  best  they  might.  The  ral)l)le  roared,  "  Brin :  i[it 
the  Canorum  !  Where  is  the  Canorum  ?" — the  latter  word 
being  a  common  one  in  that  part  of  the  country  to  signify 
Methodist.  "  No  answer  being  given,"  says  Mr,  Wesley, 
"they  quickly  forced  open  the  outer  door  and  filled  the  pas- 
sage. Only  a  wainscot  partition  was  between  us,  which  was 
not  likely  to  stand  long."  When  they  began  their  work  with 
abundance  of  imprecations,  poor  "  Kitty"  was  utterly  astonish- 
ed, and  cried  out,  "  Oh  !  Sir,  what  must  we  do  ?"  "  Wc  must 
pray,"  replied  Mr.  Wesley.  "  But  is  it  not  better  to  hide  your- 
self?" asked  his  companion  in  trouble.  lie  replied,  "  No,  it  is 
better  for  me  to  stand  just  where  I  am."  Among  the  rabble 
were  some  sailors  whose  vessels  had  lately  arrived  in  port. 
"Some  of  these  being  impatient  at  the  slowness  of  the  rest, 
tlirust  them  away,  and  coming  up  altogether,  set  their  shoul- 
ders to  the  inner  door  and  cried  out.  Avast,  lads,  avast  I  Away 
went  all  the  hinges  at  once,  and  the  door  fell  back  into  the 
room."  Mr.  Wesley  stepped  forward  into  tlie  midst  of  them 
and  said,  "  TTere  l  am.  Which  of  you  has  anything  to  say  to 
me  ?  To  which  of  you  liave  T  done  any  wrong  ?  To  you  ?  or 
you?  or  you?"  After  making  his  way  into  the  street  bare- 
headed, he  placed  himself  in  the   midst  of  the  mob,  and  after 


32 


KVi.-.:Ol'Al.    MKinO'  ..SM. 


addressing  them  for  some  time,  the  captains  or  leaders  of  th<? 
mob  swore  that  not  a  man  should  touch  him,  and  he  was  suf- 
fered to  depart  with  a  few  imprecations  from  the  disappointed 
ones  who  had  no  doubt  expected  to  see  John  Wesley  sacrificed 
on  the  altar  of  religious  hatred  and  biL,<)try. 

These  few  instances  of  popular  fury,  are  given  merely  as 
illustrations  of  the  sufferings  of  these  men  of  God  who  were  in- 
fitrumental  in  reviving  the  flame  of  pure  religion  in  England 
and  other  parts  of  the  world.  A  voKime  might  be  filled  with 
the  detail  of  wrongs  and  outrages  infiicted  upon  our  fathers  in 
the  gospel  for  conscience'  sake  ;  and  however  interesting  to  the 
uninformed  reader  the  recital  of  other  instances  of  persecution 
might  be,  the  limits  of  this  work  will  only  admit  of  the  inser- 
tion of  the  above.  Nor  should  the  reader  infer  that  the  Wes- 
leys  were  the  only  persons  who  suftered  from  popular  violence. 
Throughout  England  Mr.  Wesley's  preachers  and  followers 
were  subject  to  even  worse  treatment  than  that  above  described. 
The  preachers  were  not  only  assailed  by  mobs,  stoned,  pelted, 
thrown  into  the  water,  (fee.  but  were  frequently  imprisoned,  and 
were  sometimes  impressed  into  the  army  as  though  they  were 
common  vagrants.*  Nor  should  it  be  forgotten  that  these 
scenes  of  riot  were  in  most  cases  induced  by  the  influence  of 
clergymen,  magistrates,  and  other  zealous  sons  of  the  Church  of 
England,  and  that  such  influence  was  allowed  to  exert  itself 
without  rebuke  from  the  bishops  and  other  dignitaries  of  the 
church ;  and  that  only  through  the  authority  and  influence  of 
the  King  and  the  higher  judicial  oflicers  were  these  disgraceful 
proceedings  in  any  measure  stopped. 

*  Tlie  author  has  it  in  contemplation  to  prepare  a  work  to  be  enti- 
tled '•  The  Persecutions  of  the  early  Methodists  in  Enrope  and  Amer- 
ica," in  which  the  more  prominent  instiinoes  of  per.-se(:uti(m  and  vio- 
lence will  be  recorded  for  the  benelit  of  the  present  and  future  gene- 
rations. 


iPHPfi 


llNCUKAHE    0[«'    SOCIKTIES. 


33 


SECTION  V. 


Notwithstanding  the  CiToris  made  on  the  part  of  ungodly 
:  L\v.'n,  and  more  ungodly  miuititois,  as  recorded  in  the  preceding 
pe<:t'it»n,  to  stay  the  progress  of  tht  work  of  God,  the  latter  con 
tinned  io  i>pr<^rtcl  from  one  end  ot  tho  kingdom  to  the  other, 
producing  as  might  be  expected,  k  rtdeeming,  hallowed  influ- 
ence on  the  hearts  and  lives  of  its  ^u!>)"CLh  •,  and  on  none  more 
so  than  in  the  case  of  the  poor  miners  of  Cornwall,  among 
whom  the  disgraceful  scenes  last  mention^rti  took  place.  While 
the  rich,  the  learned,  the  pious,  were  opposing  and  calumnia- 
ting ;  the  miserable,  the  ignorant,  and  wretched  were  embra- 
cing the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  submitting  themselves  to 
its  oasy  yoke.  The  drunkard  forsook  his  cup ;  the  swearer 
learned  to  pray  ;  tlie  Sabbath-breaker,  who  for  years  had  not 
seen  the  inside  of  a  church,  now  took  delio'ht  in  o-oino;  to  the 
house  of  God  ;  and  with  a  revival  of  religion,  came  a  reforma- 
tion of  manners.  It  'as  such  results  as  these  which  encour- 
aged the  hearts  of  the  Wesleys  and  their  compeers  amidst  the 
storms  of  persecution  which  assailed  them  on  every  hand  ;  and. 
who  instead  of  quailing  and  retreating  from  the  field  of  moral 
conflict,  girded  on  their  heavenly  armor  with  greater  courage 
and  bade  detiance  to  the  powers  of  dai'kness. 

Societies  were  raised  up  in  different  parts  of  the  kingdom, 
and  as  before  intimated,  it  was  iraj)ossible  for  Mr.  Wesley  t ) 
be  present  in  every  ])lace  where  supervision  wjis  necessary. 
Hence  arose  the  necessity  for  assistants,  and  helpers,  who  being 
selected  from  among  the  lay  preachers,  were  left  in  charge  of 
the  Societies  raised  by  Mr.  Wesley.  As  the  Societies  increased 
in  number,  the  preachers  appointed  to  take  charge  of  them  in 
Mr.  Wesley's  absence  also  increased;  and  as  it  was  ijnportant 
that  these  preachers  should  not  only  see  Mr.  Wesh'y,  but  each 
other  occasionally,  for  the  purpose  of  conferring  together  in  re- 
lation to  the  great  work  in  which  they  were  engaged,  a  necei- 


m 


;u 


Kt'iscoi'Ai.  MHrrH(jui.sM, 


sity  arose  for  :iii  ;uimiiil  or  yearly  confcrciice,  the  first  of  which 
was  held  in  London    in  June,  1744,  composed  of  six  oleroy. 
men,  and  a  few  lay-preachers.     The  time  at  this  conference 
appears  to  have  been   mostly  occupied  with    "  conversations,' 
in  relation  to  doctrine  and  practice,  and  to  have  closed  with  j 
determination  to  purge  the  Society  of  all  ungodly,  or  unworthj 
members  ;  conseciuently  during  the  ensuing  week  the  member? 
in  London  were  reduced  to  about  nineteen  hundred.     The  con 
ferences  of  the  Methodist  preachers  were  ever  after  held  an\;u 
ally  in   London,  Bristol,  or  Leeds ;  and   although  small  and 
feeble  in  their  first  begiiming,  like  the  Societies,  the  preachers 
liave  increased  so  much,  that  if  the  whole  number  of  preachers 
who  acknowledije  themselves  as  the  sons  of  John  Wesley,  were 
gathered  together  in  one  body,  they  would  form  of  themselve? 
a  population  sufficient  for  a  respectable  city,  in  point  of  size. 

Mr.  Wesley,  in  the  early  history  of  his  Societies,  saw  the  im- 
portance of  providing  the  means  of  education  for  the  children 
of  the  more  ignorant  and  destitute  portion  of  the  membership. 
Hence  shortly  after  the  formation  of  a  Society  among  the  col- 
liers at  Kingswood,  he  built  a  small  school-house  for  the  bene- 
fit of  their  children,  where  the  rudiments  of  an  English  educa- 
tion, blended  with  religious  and  moral  instruction,  might  be 
taught;  and  in  a  few  years  afterward,  he  opened  a  much 
larger  school  in  Kingswood,  where  the  better  class  of  members 
might  send  their  children  to  acc^uire  a  classical  education.  In 
process  of  time  this  school  became  the  nursery  of  education  for 
the  sons  of  Mr.  AVesley's  preachers,  and  although  the  daugh- 
ters were  deprived  the  privilege  of  attending  it  fur  purposes  of 
education,  yet  the  funds  by  which  it  has  been  suiiported,  have 
allowed  of  a  small  annuity  to  be  granted  to  the  latter,  as  an 
aid  toward  securing  an  education  elsewhere. 

In  the  year  1747,  Methodism  was  introduced  into  Ireland 
through  the  instrumentality  of  Mr.  Williams,  one  of  Mr.  Wes- 
ley's preachers,  who  crossed  the  channel  and  commenced 
preaching  in  Dublin.     Great  numbers  flocked  to  hear,  and  a 


METHODISM    I\    IRELAND    AND    SCOTLAND. 


u 


Kmall  Society  was  soon  or<>:ani7,od  in  that  city.  Having  written 
an  account  of  liis  success  to  Mr.  Wesley,  the  latter  resolved  to 
visit  Ireland  immediately,  where  he  was  kindly  welcomed  by 
the  members  of  the  Society,  and  by  a  clergyman  of  tie  church. 
After  spending  some  time  iii  "  contirming  the  disciples,"  he 
returned  to  England,  leaving  Mr.  AVilliams  in  charge  of  the 
flock.  Soon  after  this,  Mr.  Charles  Wesley  visited  l)ul)lin, 
where  he  found  tlie  members  in  much  trouble  on  account  of 
the  fiery  persecutions  of  the  Papists.  But  amid  the  storm  they 
lield  on  their  way  rejoicing.  About  the  same  time,  other 
preachers  visited  different  parts  of  Ireland,  and  formed  Societies 
wherever  it  was  practicable,  until  at  length  Methodism  was 
found  planted  in  every  considerable  town  and  city  of  the  king- 
dom. In  different  places  in  Ireland,  the  persecutions  which 
arose  against  the  Methodists,  surpassed  in  wickedness  and  ani- 
mosity, any  that  had  disgraced  the  English  name;  but  as  the 
authors  and  abettors  of  these  pei-secutions  were  not  ministers 
and  wardens  of  the  Church  of  England,  but  mostly  members 
of  the  Romish  communion,  they  were  endured  with  less  pain, 
and  more  patience,  than  those  in  England,  where  Mr.  Wesley 
had  a  right  to  expect  toleration,  at  least,  from  the  ministers  of 
his  own  church. 

About  this  time  also  Methodism  was  introduced  into  Scot- 
land; and  in  l7o7  the  latter  country  was  visited  by  Mr.  Wes- 
ley, where  he  found  several  Societies  which  had  been  formed 
by  his  preachers.  During  his  stay  in  Scotland  he  preached  in 
Glasgow,  and  in  other  towns,  and  was  .well  pleased  with  the 
candor  and  good  behavior  of  the  Scotch  ;  and  to  the  honor 
of  the  latter  country,  it  should  be  recorded,  that  notwithstand- 
ing the  known  attachment  of  the  Scottish  people  generally  to 
the  Presbyteiian  creed,  and  their  acknowledged  tenacity  in 
matters  of  opinion,  yet  no  mobs  or  riots  were  ever  raised  to 
prevent  the  introduction  of  the  doctrines  of  free  grace;  but  Mr. 
Wesley  and  his  preachers  were  generally  treated  with  respect, 
and  heard  with  attention.     And  if  Methodism  in  the  latter 


1 


SG  ,        EPISCOPAL    METHODISM. 

country  has  not  iniule  the  same  progress  it  has  in  England  in 
proportion  to  the  miin])cr  of  inhabitants,  the  true  reason  may 
be  found  to  exist  not  so  much  in  the  aversion  of  the  Scotch  to 
the  doctrines  and  peculiarities  of  Methodism,  as  in  the  fact  that 
their  religious  and  moral  character  rendered  Methodism  less 
necessary  than  in  the  sister  kingdom. 

We  thus  find  Methodism  established  permanently  in  Eng- 
land, Wales,  Scotland,  and  Ireland.  The  attention  of  the 
reader  will,  in  the  next  chapter,  be  directed  to  the  introduction 
of  Methodism  into  America  through  the  instrumentality  of 
emigrants  from  Ireland,  and  of  the  unexpected  prosperity  ot 
this  form  of  Christianity  in  the  New  World. 


CHAPTER   II. 

SECTION  I. 

Tnt  the  year  1765,  a  sea-going  vessel  might  be  seen  in  the 
distance  approaching  tlie  harbor  of  New  York.  As  the  vessel 
neared  the  wliarf  there  might  be  seen  leaning  over  the  bul- 
warks a  few  Irish  'nigrants,  observing  with  evident  emotions 
of  interest  and  pleasure  their  future  intended  hone.  Their 
appearance  indicated  that  they  did  not  belong  to  the  higher 
circles  of  society  in  their  native  land,  nor  yet  that  they  be- 
longed to  the  poorest  class  of  Irish  laborers,  but  with  an  ap- 
pearance of  respectabilitj'-  combined  with  the  possession  of  a 
mere  sufficiency  of  this  world's  gear  to  meet  their  daily  return- 
ing wants,  the  stranger  would  at  once  conclude  that  they  be- 
longed to  the  better  class  of  the  laboring  Irish  ;  and  that  they 
had  left  the  shores  of  their  own  green  isle,  not  to  avoid  starva- 
tion at  home,  but  to  better  their  condition  in  the  far  off  west- 
ern world.  The  vessel  having  reached  the  dock,  the  few  emi- 
grants hastily  stepped  on  shore,  and  for  the  time  being,  are  lost 
sight  of  amidst  the  general  din  of  business,  without  having 
excited  any  extraordinary  degree  of  interest  or  attention  on  the 
part  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  city  in  which  the  former  had 
taken  up  their  abode.  In  the  following  year,  17G0,  another 
vessel,  under  simih\r  circumstances,  might  also  have  been  seen 
making  for  the  same  port ;  and  while  her  passengers  were 
being  landed,  an  elderly  lady^might  be  observed  among  them 
slowly  and  thoughtfully  wending  her  way  from  the  ship  to- 
wards the  city.  "  In  all  this  there  is  nothing  wonderful," 
Bays  the  "  observer."     Certainly  not ;  but  in  that  old  lady's  pos- 


as 


EPISCOPAL    MRTHODISM. 


session  is  a  precious  seed,  which  being  deposited  in  AmericaD 
soil,  will  take  deep  root,  germinate,  grow  to  be  a  niiglity  tree, 
and   extend  its  branches  in   time   from   the  Atlantic  to   the 
Pacilic,  and  from  the  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence  to  that  of  Mexico  ! 
Yea,  its  brandies  extending  themselves  over  seas  and  oceans, 
with  ripe  clusters  hanging  over  continents,  and  inviting  the 
South  Amerieaii,  the  African,  the  Chinaman,  to  pluck  and  eat 
the  fruits  of  Paradise  restored.     To  drop  the  tigure,  that  el- 
derly matron  was  a  Christian — a  Methodist    Christian — one 
who  felt  the  power  of  redeeming  grace  in  her  own  heart,  and 
rvho  was  anxious  to  spread  the  knowledge  of  salvation  by  faith 
in  Christ  to  others  who  were  yet  under  the  power  of  sin.     This 
lady,  soon  after  her  arrival,  learned  that  the  company  who  had 
emigrated   during  the  preceding  year  in   the  first-mentioned 
ship,  having  been   Methodists  in  Ireland,  but  who  in  conse- 
quence of  emigrating  among  strangers  had  become  in  fac^ 
backsliders  from  God,  had  among  them  a  man,  who  had  nou 
only  been  a  member  of  one  of  Mr.  Wesley's  Societies,  but  who 
had  been  a  local  preacher  in  his  own  country.     So  far  indeed 
had  these  persons  wandered  from  the  path  of  duty  that  they 
frequently  indulged  in  what  many  professed  Christians  would 
call  an  *'  innocent  game  at  cards" — a  pastime  thought  by  many 
clergymen  of  the  Establishment,  to  be  not  only  innocent,  but 
highly  useful  in  driving  away  serious  thoughts,  but  a  practice 
which  Mr.  AVesley  not  only  discouraged   but  forbade  in  his 
members.     On  one  occasion  the  lady  referred  to,  happening  to 
enter  the  room  where  these  persons  were  engaged  in  their  fa- 
vorite amusement,  she  seized  the  pack  of  cards  and  threw  them 
into  the  fire.     She  then  turned  with  holy  indignation  mani- 
fested in   her  countenance  to  Mr.  Philip  Embury,  the   local 
preacher  just  alluded  to,  and  with  ail  the  anguish  of  a  grieved 
spirit,  reproved  him  for  his  unfaithfulness  and  said,  "You  must 
preach  to  us,  or  we  shall  all  go  to  hell  together ;  and  God  will 
require  our  blood  at  your  hands."     This  sharp  appeal  to  his 
conscience,  aroused  the  unfaithful  Embury  to  a  sense  of  duty  ; 


wmmm 


FIRST    iMFTHODIST    SERMON    IN    AMERICA. 


m 


hat  as  if  unwilling  to  yield  at  once  to  the  j)Ower  of  truth  and 
the  dictates  of  his  bettor  judgnient,  he  replied,  "  I  cannot 
preach,  for  I  have  neither  house  no>  congregation."  The  old  ' 
lady  replied,  "  Preach  in  your  own  house,  and  to  our  own  com- 
j)any."  Not  being  able  to  resist  the  upbrp  .»igs  of  conscience 
and  the  reproofs  of  this  mother  in  Isra> '  ne  consented  to  com- 
ply with  her  request,  and  socm  after  '  eached  the  first  Method- 
ist sermon  ever  delivered  in  America,  to  a  connf relation  of  tivo 
persons,  in  his  "  own  hired  house."  Thus  we  see  the  "  precious 
seed"  deposited  already  in  America,  through  the  direct  influ- 
ence oiiooman!  and  in  looking  at  the  remote  results  of  plant- 
ing this  seed,  as  they  are  noio  seen,  and  known,  and  felt, 
could  it  have  been  possible  for  the  most  uninterested  spectator 
of  the  approach  of  those  vessels,  and  the  landing  of  those  unpre- 
tending emigrants,  to  foresee  the  same,  wotild  they  not  have 
acknowledged  that  such  vessels  were  freighted  with  something 
more  precious  than  the  gold  that  perisheth,  and  that  the  influ- 
ence to  be,  in  the  future,  exerted  by  the  obscure,  unpretending, 
lukewarm  Embury,  and  the  lively  zeal  of  that  praying  female, 
would  be  greater,  and  more  important,  and  enduring,  than 
would  have  been  the  emigration  of  a  thousand  Louis  Philippes 
or  Joseph  Bona[)artes  ? 

As  Embury  was  now  fully  committed  to  a  course  of  Chris- 
tian fidelity,  he  continued  statedly  to  preach  to  the  few  persons 
who  were  willing  to  hear  him  ;  and  though  for  some  time  the 
small  company  of  Methodists  remained  in  obscurity,  yet  their 
hearers  gradually  "ncreased  in  numbers,  until  at  length  it  be- 
came more  generally  known  that  there  was  Methodist  preacli- 
ing  in  the  city,  and  Embury's  "  hired  house"  became  too  small 
to  accommodate  the  cotigrogation.  They  were  accordingly 
under  the  necessity  of  prociu'ing  a  larger  room,  the  rent  of 
which  was  defrayed  by  voluntary  contiibutions. 

On  one  occasion,  while  met  for  worship  in  their  humble 
temple,  the  few  members  were  not  a  little  disconcerted  by  the 
entrance  of  an  officer  of  the  British  armv  in  full  uniform.    The 


40 


Ki'rsroi'Ai.   MK'niOltlSM. 


iiut  unniasoti.'iblo  coiielusic  at  first  wa<,  tliat  lie  had  conio  In 
to  ilisturb  (lit'tn  in  lln'ir  worship,  or,  poradvcntnre,  to  forbid 
their  assenibliniij  for  smh  purpose,  or  for  aULclit  they  knew  to 
arrest  them,  and  throw  tliotn  into  prison.  Ihit  quieldy  tlioir 
fears  were  dis]K'll(Ml  when  tlicy  saw  the  othecr  reverently  kneel 
in  prayer,  and  ])artioipate  with  them  w^th  seeming  delight  in 
their  siinjile  acts  of  worship.  On  inquiry  they  found  that  ho 
whom  they  feared  as  a  persecutor,  was  a  brotlcr  in  the  Lord, 
and  also  one  of  Mr.  Wesley's  local  preachers.  Captain  Webb, 
for  such  was  the  officer's  name,  had  been  converted  under  Mr. 
Wesley's  preaching  in  Bristol,  England,  and  being  remarkably 
zealous,  and  possessing  an  ardent  love  for  souls,  he  was  soon 
permitted  to  preach,  which  he  did  at  first  to  the  soldiers,  and 
then  to  all  who  wished  to  hear  him.  l^eing  sent  by  the  gov- 
ernment to  America,, he  was  stationed  in  Albany,  where  ho 
first  learned  that  there  was  a  small  Society  of  Metliodists  in 
New  York.  Accordingly,  at  the  first  opportunity,  he  made  his 
way  thither,  and  introduced  himself  as  above  stated.  He  was 
of  course  invited  to  preach,  with  which  invitation  he  comj)lied, 
and  as  it  was  customary  in  those  davs  for  military  men  to  wear 
their  regimental  suit  on  all  occasions,  the  appearance  of  this 
officer  in  the  pulpit  with  his  scarlet  coat,  and  other  articles  of 
military  apparel,  created  no  little  surprise,  as  well  as  much  cu- 
riosity, with  a  general  desire  to  see  such  a  wonderful  sight.  Ai^. 
might  be  expected,  the  congregation  became  increasingly  large, 
so  much  so,  that  their  place  of  meeting  had  again  become  too 
strait  for  them.  Nor  was  the  increase  in  size  of  the  congre- 
gation the  only  efl'ect  of  Captain  Webb's  preaching.  His  bold 
and  animated  manner — his  burning  zeal  for  the  conversion  of 
souls — his  freipiently  repeated  sentence,  "  You  must  repent  or 
be  forever  damned,"  resounding  in  the  ears  of  his  auditors,  pro 
duced  that  solemnity  of  feeling  and  deep  searchings  of  heart, 
which  resulted  in  many  cases,  in  the  sound  conversion  of  a 
portion  of  his  hearers.  Nor  did  the  favorable  result  of  his 
preaching  stop  here.     Officers  of  the  British  army  have  alwaji 


LAHOIfS    OF    KMIJUKY    AND    CAI'T.    WEBD. 


41 


been  consi<leivcl  as  entitl(?cl  to  minirle  vvitli  the  higlier  classes 
of  Engiisli  society,  as  hvhur  gontlemeii  and  entitled  to  respect. 
The  few  Irish  emigrants  were  of  course,  what  all  emigrants  are 
who  have  neither  wealth  nor  worldly  honor  to  bring  them  into 
notice,  despised  and  neglected  by  the  more  respectable  class  in 
society;  but  the  appearance  of  a  lespectable  man  among  them, 
as  the  leader  of  their  devotions,  as  the  expounder  of  tlieir  doc- 
trines, a  gentleman,  an  officer  in  the  army,  gave  the  little  So- 
ciety a  tone  of  respectability  which  otherwise  it  would  nut  have 
had,  and  brought  in  from  time  to  tin;e  a  portion  of  the  more 
respectable  class  to  see  and  hear  what  was  going  on.  As  just 
stated,  their  place  of  worship  became  too  small ;  they  therefore 
hired  a  rigging-loft  in  William-street,  which  they  fitted  up  as 
a  cliapel,  and  here  under  the  labors  of  the  now  faithful  and 
pious  Etubury,  who  sustained  the  relation  of  j)astor,  assistec 
occasionally  by  Captain  Webb,  the  Society  contimied  to  meet 
weekly,  or  oftener,  for  prayer  and  mutual  edification.  Wo 
have  said  that  Embury  sustained  the  relation  of  pastor  to  the 
Society.  By  this  is  meant  only,  that  he  had  by  common  con- 
sent the  chief  direction  in  the  spiritual  atiairs  of  its  members, 
for  as  Mr.  Embury  was  not  ordained,  he  could  not  administer 
the  sacraments ;  he  had  no  salary,  but  w;us  obliged  to  labor 
ihrough  the  week  with  his  own  hands  to  earn  a  subsistence, 
while  his  services  on  Sabbatli  and  at  other  times,  were  freely 
given  without  money  and  without  price. 

While  Mr.  Embury  attended  at  all  times  to  the  interests  of 
the  Society  in  New  York,  Capt.  Webb,  who  had  more  leisure 
and  fewer  jiecuniary  wants,  made  frequent  excursions  to  Long 
Island  and  I'liiladelphia,  not  for  the  sake  of  amusement  but 
to  preach  "Jesus  Christ  and  him  crucified,"  to  all  who  were 
Avilliiig  to  hear  him  ;  and  these  labors  were  not  in  vain.  Manv, 
through  his  instrumentality,  were  brought  to  the  knowledge 
of  the  truth,  and  testified  that  Jesus  Christ  has  power  on  earth 
to  ft.rgive  sin.  In  this  way  the  good  work  continued  to  spread 
froBa  place   to  place,  and  from  city  to  city,  until  at  lengtL 


42 


EPlf.COl'AL    METHODISM. 


Metliodism  became  a  subject  of  much  inquiry  and  conversation 
in  different  parts  of  the  colonies. 

During  the  period  eml)raced  in  the  above  remarks  the  con- 
gregation in  New  Yorii  continued  further  to  increase  in  size, 
imtil  the  rigging-loft,  in  its  turn,  became  too  small  to  accom- 
modate the  listening  throngs  who  from  time  to  time  assembled 
to  hear  the  word  of  (lod.  To  remedy  this  inconvenience  the 
small  Society  began  seriously  to  think  of  building  a  chapel, 
l^ut  there  ajipeared  insuperable  difficulties  in  the  way  ;  the 
Society  small,  the  members  poor,  and  without  much  inHuenco 
among  the  higiier  aj)d  more  wealthy  class  in  community,  they 
might  well  despair  in  accomplishing  such  a  work.  Hero  again 
the  agency  and  inthience  of  woman  appears  to  advantage. 
While  well-nigh  discouraged  about  nuking  any  attempt  of  the 
kind,  a  Mrs.  ITick,  a  member  of  the  Society,  and  a  woman  full 
of  faith  and  the  Holy  (Jliost,  made  the  matter  a  subject  of 
fervent  prayer  to  God,  and  while  engaged  in  coinriiunion  with 
the  Lord,  slie  received  the  answer  in  htir  soul,  "I,  the  Lord  will 
do  it!"  In  connection  with  this  answer  to  prayer,  the  plan  of 
operation  was  clearly  presented  to  her  mind,  which  induced  her 
at  once  to  lay  the  subject  before  the  Society,  accompanied  by 
her  warm  and  earnest  exhortations  to  go  on  with  the  work, 
trusting  in  the  Lord.  She  also  presented  her  i)lan  of  opera- 
tions, which  wius  at  once  adopted  by  the  Society.  In  accord- 
ance with  this  plan,  a  subscri|)tion-paper  was  prepared  and 
presented  to  the  Mayor  and  other  wealthy  citizens,  to  whom 
the  object  and  design  of  the  contemplated  chapel  was  fully 
stated,  and  from  these  persons  liberal  donations  were  at  once 
obtained,  which  encouraged  the  Society  to  go  on  with  the  enter- 
j)rise.  Among  the  more  ])rominent  and  active  members  en- 
gaged in  this  undertaking,  in  addition  to  Mr.  P]mbury,  Oapt. 
Webb,  and  Mrs.  Hicks,  were  Messrs.  Lujjton,  Source,  Newton, 
White,  and  Jarvis,  tin;  first  of  whom  being  a  respectabln  mer- 
chant, exerted  himself  to  the  utmost  for  the  erection  of  the 
chapel,  his   motto  being,   "The   church  first,  and  then    my 


"WESLRY    CHAPEL." 


43 


fivinily."  The  above  five  persons  acted  jus  trustees,  or  buildiiii^ 
committee,  find  after  havinc;  purchased  several  lots,  on  what 
was  then  called  "Golden  Hill,"  now  John  Street,  they  pro- 
cured materials  and  contracted  for  the  building  of  the  house 
on  their  individual  renponsibility. 

Notwithstanding  the  opposition  of  many  to  the  erection  of  a 
Methodist  Chapel,  the  building  gradually  went  up,  until  at 
length  "the  top-stone  was  put  on,"  if  not  with  "shoutings"  at 
least  with  gratitude  and  thankfulrioss  on  the  part  of  the  little 
band  of  believers.  The  municipal  regulations  of  the  province 
of  New  York  at  that  time  were  such,  that  dissenters  from  the 
established  (Jhurch  of  England  were  not  allowed  to  occupy  a 
place  of  worship  exclusively  for  that  purpose  :  hence  it  becamo 
necessary  to  convert  a  part  of  this  building  into  a  dwelling- 
house,  in  order  to  elude  the  regulations  on  tiie  sulject.  The 
hcmse  was  sixty  feet  in  length,  and  forty-two  in  breadth,  and 
when  iinished,  is  said  to  have  been  capable  of  seating  seventeen 
hundred  persons.  iVlr.  Embury,  who  was  a  carpenter  by  trade, 
made  the  pulj)it  with  his  own  iiands,  and  at  length,  on  the 
30th  day  of  October,  16G8,  had  the  pleasure  and  honor  of 
preaching  the  first  sermon  in  what  the  Society  significantly- 
called  "  Wesley  Chapel." 

While  Wesley  Chapel  was  in  process  of  erection,  the  Society 
felt  the  need  of  more  ministerial  aid  ;  for  althougn  Mr.  Embury 
was  a  good  man,  his  preaching  talents  were  but  moderate; 
besides,  it  was  desirable  to  place  themselves  more  directly  under 
the  supervision  of  Mr.  Wesley,  and  to  bo  recognized  by  him  as 
one  of  his  Societies.  Accordingly  one  of  their  number,  who 
had  more  recently  emigrated  from  England,  and  who  was 
jiersonally  acquainted  with  Mr.  Wesley,  was  appointed  to  ad- 
dress him  on  the  subject  of  obtaining  a  preacher  from  England. 
After  giving  Mr.  Wesley  a  brief  accon  t  of  the  Society,  and 
their  success  in  building  a  house  for  the  Lord,  he  entreats  the 
former  to  send  over  "a  man  of  wisdom,  of  sound  fVutli,  and  a 
good  disciplinarian,"  and  concludes  with  these  words,  "  With 


■ct. 


41 


EI'lSCUl'AL    MKTHODIHM. 


respect  to  nionoy  for  tlio  payinciit  of  tlio  proacliors'  [)assage 
over,  if  tlioy  could  not  procure  it,  wo  woiiM  «<«!!  or.r  cuuts  and 
shirts  to  procure  it  for  tlicin." 

<')n  tlio  reception  of  this  letter  by  Mf  Wesley  tlie  subject 
was  iaiil  by  hiiti  before  the  next  confenncd  of  ])reachers;  and 
two  of  the  latter,  Richard  iSoardiiian  and  Joseph  I'ihnore, 
Volunteered  their  services  as  missionaries  to  America,  by  whom 
Mr.  Wesley  sent  fifty  pounds  as  a  token  of  love  to  the  Society 
in  Xow  York,  to  assist  in  liquidatinii;  the  d(!bt  which  rested  on 
the  chapel.  After  a  passage  of  nine  weeks  the  missionaries 
arrived  >;.  .\nierie',  in  the  latter  part  of  October,  and  were  re- 
cei'i'd  with  open  arms  by  the  bretliven,  who  now  number<!d 
about,  ,1  hundred.  We  have  thus  far  f-raced  the  establishment 
of  Methodism  in  the  Western  Continent  under  rather  peculiar 
circumstances,  A  society  of  one  hundre<l  m(!mbers  organized, 
a  respectable  house  of  worship  ereclecl,  a  large  congregation 
secured,  and  all  done  without  the  aid  of  the  brethren  at  home; 
without  missionari(!s  ;  without  even  the  knowledge  of  Mr.  Wes- 
ley !  but  simply  through  the  instrumentality  of  two  local 
])reachers,  and  tlu'  euunsels  and  prayers  of  two  pious  females. 
When  we  tuusider  these  facts  in  the  history  ot  American 
Methodism,  may  ..e  ik/  'viUi  propriety  e.\claiiu  as  an  inspired 
apostle  exclaim. -il  in  reference  U)  another  subject,  "  Heboid  I 
how  great  a  m;'tier  a  little  fire  kindleth  !"  In  these  facts  the 
Christian  ciunot  l)r.t  discern  the  workings  of  an  unseen  hand, 
jjcrforming  wonders  in  an  incredibly  short  space  of  time. 

The  missionaries  having  arrived,  Mr.  IJoardman  took  charire 
of  the  Soci(.'ty  in  New  York,  while  Mr.  Pilmore,  after  having 
preached  a  few  times  in  the  latter  city,  proceeded  to  Philadel- 
phia, and  succeeded  in  collecting  large  cong'regations  and 
organi/.ing  Societies.  These  brethren  ado|»ted  the  plan  of  fre- 
quently interchanging  with  each  other  between  the  ])laces, 
alternating  ,".t  first  every  si.x  months,  then  every  four  month.s, 
nnd  finally  once  in  three  months.  Such  was  the  efiect  of  their 
preaching,  that  large  as  was  the  chapel  in  John  Street,  scarcely 


t  ' 


ANKcnorn  ok  mk.  srl^AwnltInaK. 


45 


two  thirdrtof  the  coii^rcgatiun  couKl  firnl  iuliiiitUince,  tlie  others 
boitig  satisfied  to  stand  outside  of  the  door  and  open  windows, 
that  thiy  inii^ht  catch  a  word  from  time  to  time  as  it  fell  from 
tlie  preacher's  lips. 

l)Ut  while  success  was  thus  crowiiiiit^  the  efforts  of  Christ's 
laborers  in  New  York  and  I'hiladelphia,  other  pioneers  were 
silently  operating  in  another  portion  uf  tin;  land.  And  hero 
too,  the  sanu!  huinhK;  instrumentalities  were  employed  in  the 
j)laiitini^  of  Metho(lisi;i  as  in  the  first  named  city.  About  the 
same  time  that  Mr.  Embury  and  ('apt.  Wel>b  in  New  York, 
were  laVjoriiiuj  to  secure  the;  erection  of  the  chapel  in  John 
Street,  Mr.  liub(!rt  Straw bridije,  a  local  preacher,  also  from  Ire- 
land, emigrated  to  Maryland,  and  settled  in  Frederick  county 
He  being  a  man  full  of  faith  and  tlu;  Holy  (Jhost,  no  soone. 
became  settled  than  he  began  to  preach  to  a  few  persons  h 
his  own  house,  and  in  other  private  houses.  Soon  a  Society 
was  formed,  and  a  place  of  worship,  humble  in  its  pretensions, 
was  erected.  This  chapel  being  built  of  logs,  was  long  known 
by  the  name  of  the  "  i-iog  NFcieting- House. '  There  is  an 
anuisiiig  anecdote  related  of  Mr.  Strawbridge  by  the  late  Rev. 
FrecOwrn  ("'arret.s()n,aiid  coj)ie(l  by  l)octor  Bangs  in  his  History 
of  the  Methodist  l']piscopal  Church.  Mr.  CarreLson  observes, 
"  He  came  to  the  house  of  a  gentleman  near  where  I  lived  to 
stay  all  night.  I  had  never  heard  him  preach,  but  as  I  had  a 
great  desire  to  be  in  company  with  a  person  who  had  caused 
so  much  talk  in  the  country,  I  went  over,  and  sat,  and  heard 
him  converse  until  nearly  midnight.  ''•'  *  *  He  spent  most  of 
the  time  in  explaining  Scripture  and  in  giving  interesting  anec- 
dotes, and  perhaps  one  of  them  will  do  to  relate  here :  A  con- 
gregation came  together  in  a  certain  place,  atid  a  gentleman 
who  was  hearing,  thought  that  the  preacher  had  directed  his 
whole  sermon  to  him,  and  he  retired  home  after  the  sermon  in 
disgust.  However,  he  concluded  to  hear  him  once  more,  and 
hide  himself  behind  the  jx'ople  so  that  the  preacher  should  not 
see  him.     It  was  the  old  story — his  character  was  delineated. 


•W^^f^ 


ft 


s 


tl 


ii 


KPISCOPAI,    MKTHODISM. 


He  retired  dejected ;  l)iit  concluded  that  possibly  the  preacher 
saw  liim,  and  said,  'I  will  try  him  once  more;'  he  did  so,  and 
hid  himself  behind  the  door.  The  preacher  took  for  his  text: 
•  And  a  man  shall  be  as  a  hiding-place,  &c.'  In  the  midst  of 
the  sermon  the  preacher  cried  out,  *  Sinner,  come  from  your 
scouting  hole !'  The  poor  fellow  came  forward,  looked  thb 
preacher  in  the  face,  and  said,  '  You  are  a  wizard ;  and  the 
devil  is  in  you;  I  will  hear  you  no  more.'  Although  not 
stated,  the  supposition  is,  that  the  preacher  alluded  to  was  Mr. 
Strawbridge  himself,  and  that  his  humility  alone  prevented  him 
from  acknowledging  the  fact.  Such  was  the  searching  power 
of  the  gospel  I" 

About  this  time,  also,  two  other  local  preachers  arrived  in 
the  country — Robert  Williams  and  John  King — both  from 
England.  Although  not  sent  by  Mr.  Wesley,  they  neverthe- 
less proved  a  great  acquisition  to  the  few  gospel  laborers  in 
America,  and  were,  soon  after  their  arrival,  engaged  fully  in 
the  work  of  preaching  the  gospel  as  travelling  preachers.  But 
with  the  addition  of  these  two,  there  was  still  a  great  demand 
for  more  preachers.  Accordingly,  in  1771,  Mr.  Wesley  re- 
solved to  send  additional  help  to  the  brethren  in  America,  and 
Francis  Asbury  and  Richard  Wright  having  volunteered  their 
services  as  missionaries,  were  dismissed  amidst  the  prayers  of 
tlieir  brethren  at  home.  These  also  proved  a  great  blessing  to 
the  Societies  in  the  New  World  ;  and  as  the  former — Francis 
Asbury — may  emphatically  be  styled  the  apostle  of  American 
Methodism,  a  brief  notice  of  him  may  not  be  out  of  place  in 
.his  connection. 

Mr.  Francis  Asbury  was  born  near  Birmingham,  England,  in 
1745.  His  parents  were  respectable,  but  not  pious.  At  the 
rtge  of  thirteen,  Francis  was  indented  as  an  apprentice  to  a  gen- 
tleman for  the  purpose  of  learning  a  trade,  and  while  residing 
with  this  man,  he  heard  much  said  about  the  Methodists,  and 
He  inquired  of  his  mother  who,  whence,  and  what  the  Methodists 
were.     His  mother,  having  imbibed  a  favorable  opinion  of  the 


*.ni«»Hri'!y'fJ 


SKETCH    OF    FRANCIS    ASBURY. 


47 


scot  everywhere  spoken  against,  gave  him  tlie  necessary  infor- 
mation, and  in  a  short  time  he  jtroceeded  to  Wednesbury  for 
the  pur})0se  of  seeing  and  hearing  for  himself.  He  entered  the 
place  of  worship,  and  soon  foutid  that  it  was  not  the  church  ; 
but  to  him  a  better  place  ;  men  and  women  kneehng  down, 
and  in  an  audible  voice  saying.  Amen  !  The  preacher  had  no 
prayer-book,  and  yet  he  prayed  wonderfully  ;  he  read  his  tex^, 
and  preached  a  sermon  ;  and  more  wonderful  still,  he  had  no 
sermon-book  !  He  talked  about  assurance,  confidence  in  God, 
&c. ;  all  this  was  strange  to  young  xVsbury,  but  it  led  him  to 
self-examination,  and  although  never  immoral,  he  felt  he  was  a 
sinner,  shut  up  in  unbelief.  This  view  of  himself  led  him  sub- 
sequently to  look  to  Christ  for  salvation,  and  he  received  the 
forgiveness  of  sin,  and  the  witness  of  adoption.  He  joined  the 
Society,  met  in  class,  and  in  a  band,  and  in  a  rather  private 
way,  exercised  his  gifts,  and  talents,  and  graces,  in  frequently 
warning  men  to  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come.  In  this  way,  al- 
most imperceptibly  to  himself,  he  became  a  local  preacher, 
until  finally  he  ventured  to  come  out  more  publicly  as  such, 
and  proved  a  valuable  assistant  or  helper  to  the  preachers  reg- 
ularly a})pointed  by  Mr.  AVesley,  as  he  frequently  preached 
from  three  to  five  times  every  week,  visiting  distant  places  for 
that  purpose,  and  at  length,  after  having  acted  in  the  above 
cai)acity  fro.u  the  seventeenth  to  the  twenty-second  year  of  his 
age,  he  gave  himself  wholly  to  the  work,  as  a  regular  travelling 
preacher.  After  travelling  about  four  years  under  the  direction 
of  Mr.  Wesley,  the  latter,  at  the  conference  held  in  Bristol, 
iVVl,  projiosed  that  volunteers  should  ofi^er  themselves  for 
America.  Mr.  Asbury  proposed  himself,  and  was  accepted, 
and  after  having  spent  a  few  weeks  in  visiting  his  friends,  he 
came  to  Bristol,  for  the  purpose  of  taking  ship.  On  his  arrival 
at  Bristol,  he  had  not  a  single  penny  in  his  pocket,  but  his 
Christian  friends  in  that  place  soon  supplied  him  with  clothes 
and  money,  and  accompanied  V)y  Mr.  Wright,  he  bid  a  long 
and  last  adieu  to  his  native  land,  and  in  October  of  the  same 


■IM 


48 


KPISCOPAL    METHODISM. 


year  landed  safely  in  Philadelphia,  where  they  were  received 
with  open  arms  by  the  brethren  in  that  city. 


SECTIOX  ir. 


The  number  whidi  had  been  gathered  into  the  Methodist 
Societies  in  America  previous  to  the  arrival  of  Mr.  Asbury,  was 
about  six  hundred — three  hundred  in  New  York,  two  hundred 
and  fifty  in  Philadelithia,  and  fifty  in  New  Jersey.  After 
spending  a  short  time  in  Pi)iladeli)hia,  Mr.  Asbury  proceeded 
to  ISIew  York,  and  preached  with  great  acceptability.  But  now 
commenced  a  new  era  in  the  history  of  American  Methodism. 
The  preachers  wlio  had  preceded  Mr.  Asbury,  had  confined 
their  labors  entirely  to  the  cities,  and  seem  to  have  thought 
that  it  was  their  duty  to  do  so  ;  but  Mr.  Asbury,  fortunately 
for  the  cause  of  Methodism  in  America,  entertained  ditt'erent 
views,  and  in  accordance  with  these  views,  he  spent  his  time 
alternately  in  city  and  country,  visiting  neighboring  towns  and 
villages,  and  being  everywhere  received  as  the  messenger  of 
God,  although  sometimes  meeting  with  opposition  from  the 
"  baser  sort."  As  might  be  expected,  good  was  accomplished 
by  these  visits,  Societies  being  formed  by  him  in  different 
places.  Another  good  result  was,  the  example  he  set  the  other 
preachers  ;  which,  being  followed,  they  also  extended  their  la- 
bors to  the  country  places. 

In  the  latter  part  of  the  year  17*72,  ^Ir.  A^ury  visrted  Kent 
county,  Maryland,  where  Mr.  Strawbridge  had  opened  the  way 
for  him.  Before  preaching,  however,  a  clergyman  of  the  Church 
of  England  came  to  him,  desiring  to  know  who  he  was  ;  and 
whether  he  was  lic.u^fd  to  preach.  After  Mr.  Asbury  had  in- 
formed him  who,  and  what  he  was,  the  minister  replied,  that 
having  authority  over  the  people,  &c.,  he — Mr.  Asbury — could 
not,  and  should  not  preach,  and  if  he  did,  he  should  be  pro 
ceeded  against  according  to  law.     Mr.  Asbury,  however,  gav* 


SPREAD    OF    MKTHOUISM    AT    THE    SOUTH. 


A9 


the  gentleman  to  understand,  that  he  had  come  to  preach,  and 
preach  he  should  ;  and  asked  him  if  ho  had  authority  to  bind 
the  consciences  of  people,  or  if  he  was  a  justice  of  the  peace. 
The  parson  replied  by  charging  Asbury  wiih  making  a  schism, 
and  with  hindering  people  from  their  work,  &c.  Mr.  Asbury, 
however,  informed  him,  that  he  was  not  an  enemy  of  the 
church  ;  that  listening  to  preaching  would  occupy  no  more 
time  than  attending  fairs  and  horse-races,  and  instead  of  de- 
signing to  injure  the  parson  or  his  business,  he  had  come  to 
assist  him  in  his  work  of  saving  souls.  "  I  did  not  hire  you 
for  an  assistant,  and  do  not  want  your  help,"  said  the  parson. 
After  more  conversation  of  a  similar  character,  Mr.  Asbury, 
nothing  daunted  by  the  frowns  or  threats  of  his  clerical  oppo- 
nent, proceeded  to  preach,  and  urge  upon  the  people  the  duty 
of  repentance  and  reformation.  The  parson,  who  came  into 
the  house  in  a  rage,  after  hearing  Mr.  Asbury  preach,  went  out 
and  cautioned  the  people  against  hearing  him  any  more.  In 
this  incident,  unimportant  in  itself,  we  see  the  spirit  with  which 
the  established  clergy  welcomed  the  labors  of  the  self-denying 
itinerant,  and  from  it  we  learn,  that  if  the  clerii'v  in  England 
were  mere  formalists,  "  denying  the  power  of  godliness,"  the 
clergy  in  America  were  scarcely  less  formal,  or  less  opposed  to 
the  revival  of  the  work  of  God. 

In  spite  of  all  opposition,  however,  the  work  of  God  spread 
throughout  the  land — from  Maryland  to  Virginia,  North  and 
South  Carolina,  and  Georgia,  all  which  places  were  visited  first 
by  Mr.  I'ilmore,  and  then  by  other  Methodist  preachers,  who 
entered  in  at  every  open  door,  and  successfully  preached  the 
gospel  to  the  people.  Among  those  who  followed  Mr.  Pilmore 
in  his  visits  to  Virginia,  was  Mr.  Williams,  who  went  to  Nor- 
folk, and  without  giving  any  public  notice  of  his  intention  to 
preach,  he  stood  on  the  steps  of  the  court-house,  and  began  to 
sing,  which  soon  brought  a  congregation  around  him,  to  whom 
he  preached.  Some  of  the  people  attempted  to  raise  a  dis- 
turbance, thinking,  no  doubt,  that  the  preacher  was  mad  more 


50 


EPISCOPAL    MKTHODISM. 


!    'V.: 


especially  as  he  made  a  frequent  use  of  the  words  hell  and 
devil,  while  appoalinj^  to  the  consciences  of  his  intipenitent  hear- 
ers— words  which  their  own  ministers  seldom  if  ever  used — 
periiaps  because  they  did  not  believe  in  any  such  things — 
which,  sounding  strange  to  the  ear,  as  coming  from  the  pulpit, 
made  them  think  that  Mr.  Williams  must  be  a  very  wicked, 
swearing  man,  and  although  some  parts  of  his  discourse  sound- 
ed like  the  gospel,  yet  they  had  so  little  charity  for  the  preacher, 
that  when  he  had  concluded,  no  one  invited  him  to  their  house. 
Not  discouraged,  however,  Mr.  Williams  preached  a  second 
time,  and  shortly  afterward  had  the  privilege,  not  only  of  be- 
ing hospitably  entertained,  but  of  forming  a  Society  in  Norfolk, 
which  has  remained  in  a  flourishing  condition  to  this  day. 

The  year  after  Mr.  Asbury's  arrival  in  Americ^a,  he  received 
a  letter  from  Mr.  Wesley,  in  which  the  latter  designated  Mr. 
Asbury  as  his  General  Assistant  in  America — an  office  which 
.nvolved  the  stationing  of  the  preachers,  and  the  general  over- 
sight of  the  entire  work.  In  accordance  with  the  requirements 
of  the  letter  of  appointment  and  instructions,  Mr.  Asbury,  with- 
out calling  a  conference  of  all  the  preachers,  proceeded  to  the 
work  of  assigning  the  preachers  their  respective  fields  of  labor, 
which  was  usually  done  at  Qnarlerlij  meetings. 

In  the  summer  of  1773,  Messrs.  Thomas  Rankin  and  George 
Shadford  arrived  in  Philadelphia,  as  missionaries  sent  over  by 
Mr.  Wesley.  Mr.  Rankin,  having  travelled  several  years  longer 
than  Mr.  Asbury,  was  appointed  to  supersede  the  latter  as  Gen- 
eral Assistant,  and  was  invested  with  authoritv  to  call  a  con- 
ference,  which  was  accordingly  held  in  Philadelphia,  July  4, 
1773.  The  number  of  preachers  in  the  comiection  at  this 
time  was  ten,  and  the  number  of  members  had  increased  to 
1,160. 

As  some  of  the  preachers,  especially  Mr.  Strawbridge,  had 
departed  from  the  instructions  of  Mr.  Wesley  in  regard  to  ad- 
ministering the  ordinances  of  baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper, 
it  was  at  this  conference  resolved  that  each  preacher  should 


RETURN    OF    PRKACHERS    TO    ENGLAND. 


avoid  administering  these  ordinances.  The  members,  also,  were 
to  be  exhorted  to  attend  the  Episcopal  church,  and  receive  the 
ordinances  there  at  the  hands  of  the  ministers  thereot'.  At  this 
conf(irence,  also,  the  preachers  were  all  regularly  stationed  by 
Mr.  Rankin,  and  measures  were  adopted  for  a  more  systematic 
prosecution  of  the  work,  and  especially  for  a  more  rigorous  en- 
forcement of  the  discipline.  The  carrying  out  of  the  latter, 
met  with  some  opposition,  especially  in  New  York,  but  Mr. 
Rankin,  who  was  himself  stationed  there,  by  a  prudent,  yet 
(Steady  course,  overcame  every  obstacle,  and  succeeded  in  intro- 
ducing system  and  method  in  the  management  of  the  Society 
and  congregation.  The  same  system  of  vigorously  carrying 
out  the  requirements  of  the  discipline  being  generally  adopted 
by  the  preachers,  was  not  without  its  wholesome  influence,  as 
at  the  next  conference,  we  find  the  preachers  increased  to  the 
number  of  seventeen,  and  the  memberships  reported  to  be 
2,073. 

From  the  session  of  the  above  conference  in  1774,  until  the 
beginning  of  the  revolutionary  war,  which  separated  the  Ameri- 
can colonies  from  the  mother  country,  the  work  of  God  went 
on  with  increased  power  and  success,  notwithstanding  the  polit- 
ical storm  raged  with  such  violence  over  every  part  of  the  land. 
As  some  of  the  preachers  laboring  in  the  colonies  were  natives 
of  Britain,  it  may  be  supposed  that  they  would  naturally  es- 
pouse the  royal  cause.  Mr.  Wesley,  who  was  always  on  the 
alert  in  reference  to  anything  which  might  injure  the  influence 
of  his  preachers,  or  mar  their  usefulness,  wrote  to  them  at  this 
juncture,  advising  them  to  addict  themselves  to  no  parity,  and 
to  say  not  a  word  against  one  side  or  the  other.  This  advice 
was  seasonable,  and  no  doubt  in  most  cases  exerted  a  salutary 
influence,  but  as  the  war  proceeded,  several  of  the  English 
preachers  felt  it  to  bo  their  duty  to  leave  the  theatre  of  strife, 
and  return  to  their  native  land  ;  and  among  them  Mr.  Rankin, 
the  general  assistant,  sailed  for  England  in  1777. 

In  the  year  1775,  there  was  a  remarkable  revival  of  religion 
D 


ft 
■I  i 


.02 


Kl'ISCUI'AI-    MKril(;lJlSM. 


in  the  soutliorn  portion  of  Virninin.  It  was  principally  efffct- 
ed  tlirouirh  tlie  instrumentality  of  Mr.  Geori>;e  Sliadford — one 
of  Mr.  Wesley's  missionaries.  Justice,  however,  to  the  memory 
of  a  groat  and  good  man,  Rev.  Mr.  Jarratt,  of  the  Episcopal 
church  in  that  part  of  the  country,  re([uires  us  to  say  that  no 
one  contributi.'d  more  to  the  progress  of  this  work  than  he,  by 
])reacliing,  administering  the  ordinances  among  the  Methodists, 
meeting  the  classes,  holding  love-feasts,  tfec.  drc.  As  Doctor 
Bangs  well  observes,  "  Had  all  the  clergy  of  that  day  mani- 
fested a  kindred  spirit,  how  much  more  e.xtensively  would  the 
work  of  God  have  prevailed  !"  and  ive  may  add,  that  if  all  the 
clergymen  of  that  day  had  manifested  a  proper  Christian  spirit, 
the  probability  is,  that  in  less  than  ten  years  afterward  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  had  not  been  organized,  at  least 
on  its  present  basis,  but  opposition  on  the  part  of  clergymen 
created  a  necessity  for  its  organization. 


SECTION  III. 


On  the  4th  of  July,  17 70,  the  American  colonies  were  de- 
clared by  Congress  to  ho  free  and  independent  States.  The 
Declaration  of  Independence,  however,  while  it  asserted,  did 
not  secure  the  political  independence  of  the  colonics.  A  lonor 
and  bloody  war  between  the  contending  parties  must  exist,  be- 
fore such  independence  is  acknowledged  by  the  mother  coun- 
try, and  such  a  war  did  exist  for  six  long  years  after  Con- 
gress issued  the  above  document. 

The  continuance  of  the  war,  rendered  it  peculiarly  trying 
to  most  of  the  Methodist  preachers  in  America.  Four  of 
the  leading  ones  were  known  to  be  fron  England,  and  some 
of  them,  contrary  to  the  advice  of  Mr.  W'3sley,  did  not  hesitate 
to  avow  their  attachment  to  the  British  cause.  Notwithstand- 
ing the  prudent  reserve  of  others  in  relation  to  those  matters, 
the  whole  body  was  suspected  of  being  in  the  interest  of  the 


ASSAULT    ON    MK.    GARHKTSOy. 


British  monarch,  iukI  were  consequently  the  subjects  of  politi- 
cal hatred  and  persecution  ;  so  much  so,  that  it  was  with  ex- 
treme difficulty  the  preachers  could  travel  their  circuits  from 
appointment  to  appointment.  Mr.  Asbury,  than  whom  there 
never  was  a  more  prudent  man  in  relation  to  political  matters, 
was  nevertheless  on  one  occasion  lined  five  pounds,  not  for  ut- 
terinsj  anvthino;  ajj^ainst  the  cause  of  liberty,  but  for  preachinof 
the  gospel  in  the  vicinity  of  13altimore  without  having  taken 
the  oath  of  allegiance  to  the  State  of  Maryland,  which  he  could 
not  conscientiously  do ;  and  for  the  same  reason  during  the 
next  year  he  was  forced  to  retire  beyond  the  borders  of  Mary- 
land, and  seek  an  asylum  in  the  house  of  his  friend  Judge 
White  of  Delaware,  where  he  remained  secluded  for  nearly  a 
year.  In  the  place  of  his  retreat,  however,  he  was  not  inactive, 
for  although  it  was  considered  imprudent  for  him  to  attempt 
sjjeaking  in  public,  during  the  height  of  the  political  storm,  he 
would  frequently  go  out  in  the  evening  and  visit  from  house  to 
house,  and  enforce  privately  the  truths  of  th(;  Gospel. 

Nor  was  Mr.  Asbury  the  only  sutterer  ;  those  of  the  preach- 
ers whose  patriotism  could  not  be  doubted,  were  frequently 
malt  'eated  by  the  magistrates  and  others.  Mr.  Freeborn  Gar- 
retson,  a  native  born  American,  and  a  man  of  some  influence 
and  note  in  society  previous  to  his  conversion,  and  not  less  so 
after  he  became  a  Methodist  preacher,  was  on  one  occasion 
while  riding  peaceably  along  in  the  State  of  Maryland,  arrested 
by  an  ex-judge  of  the  county,  who  seize-';  his  horse's  bridle,  and 
who  although  assured  by  Mr.  Garretson  that  the  latter  was  a 
preacher  of  the  Gos{)el  peaceably  engaged  in  hi.^  calling,  began 
to  strike  him  over  the  head  and  shoulders  with  a  stick,  all  the 
while  calling  for  help.  As  some  were  approaching  with  aroj)e, 
perhaps  for  the  purpose  of  binding  Mr.  Garretson,  i\w  j-idge  let 
go  his  hold  on  the  bridle,  on  which  Mr.  Garretson  gave  his 
horse  the  wliip  and  got  beyond  the  reach  of  his  foes.  He  was 
however  pursued  and  overtaken  by  his  persecutor,  who  again 
struck  him  atid  threw  him  from  his  horse  with  great  violence, 


54 


EPISCOPAL    METIinnFRM. 


woumlinf^  liim  severely,  and  rendenng  liiin  insensible.  While- 
in  this  condition  a,  lady  passed  by  havin<^  a  lancet  in  her  pos- 
session, and  Mr.  Garreb^on  being  carried  into  a  house  near  by, 
was  freely  bKid,  which  restored  him  to  consciousness.  His 
persecutor  fearing  that  he  had  killed  bim,  stood  over  him  with 
some  degree  of  anxiety  and  sorrow,  but  as  Mr.  Garretson  re- 
vived and  began  to  exhort  him  to  repent,  his  rage  returned 
with  redoubled  violence,  atid  he  immediately  went  out  and 
brouglit  a  magistrate  more  wicked  than  himself.  "  With  a 
stern  look,"  says  Mr.  (Tam^tson,  "  the  magistrate  demanded  my 
name.  I  told  him  ;  and  he  took  out  his  pen  and  ink  and  began 
to  write  a  mittimus  to  commit  me  to  jail.  'Pray,  sir,'  says  I, 
'  are  you  a  justice  of  the  peace  V  He  replied  that  he  was. 
'  Why  then  do  you  suffer  men  to  behave  in  this  manner  V 
'  You  have,'  said  he,  '  broken  the  laws.'  '  How  do  you  know 
that  V  said  I,  '  but  supposing  I  have,  is  this  the  way  you  put 
the  law  in  force  against  me  ?  I  am  an  inhabitant  of  this  State, 
and  have  property  in  it ;  and  if  I  mistake  not,  the  law  says  for 
the  first  ofience,  the  tine  is  five  pounds,  and  double  for  every 
offence  after.  The  grand  crime  was  preaching  the  Gospel  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  in  which  I  greatly  rejoice.  My  enemy 
conducted  himself  more  like  a  highwayman  than  a  person  en- 
forcing the  law  in  a  Christian  country.  Be  well  assured  that 
this  matter  will  be  brought  to  light  in  awful  eternity.'  He 
dropped  his  pen,  and  made  no  farther  attetnpt  to  send  me  to 
prison."  Meanwhile  the  lady  who  bled  Mr.  Garretson  coming 
with  her  carriage,  took  him  off  where  he  was  properly  taken 
care  of  till  partially  restored  from  the  effects  of  the  maltreat- 
ment, when  he  went  on  his  way  rejoicing,  being  instrumental  in 
bringing  scores  and  hundreds  of  souls  to  the  knowledge  of  the 
truth. 

In  the  year  1Y80,  Mr.  Garretson  having  had  an  invitation  to 
preach  in  a  portion  of  the  country  in  Maryland  where  political 
feeling  ran  very  high,  and  persecution  against  the  Methodists  pre- 
vailed to  an  alarming  extent,  made  the  matter  a  subject  of  earnest 


wmmmmmm 


MR.    OAUHETSON    ARUKSTKI). 


66 


prnypi,  and  also  asked  the  advice  of  Mr.  Asbury.  Tlio  letter 
atlvist'd  him  to  uccoj)t  tlunnvitation,  which  he  did  ;  but  while  on 
his  way  had  fearful  forebodings  of  trials  and  persecutions,  so 
much  so,  that  lie  felt  half  inclined  to  turn  back.  However,  putting 
his  trust  in  the  Lord,  he  pursued  his  way  towards  the  place  of 
his  destination.  Having  arrived,  Mr.  (larretson  ])reached  in 
the  neiixhborhood  to  large  and  attentive  connr.'fjations  during 
three  successive  days,  and  then  went  to  the  county-seat  where 
the  court  was  in  session,  and  preached  also.  Some  of  the  load- 
ing men  connected  with  the  court,  were  oftended  with  Mr.  Gar- 
retson  for  daring  to  preach,  and  determined  in  some  way  to  get 
liim  out  of  the  place.  For  a  pretence  they  charged  him  with 
toryism,  and  as  Mr.  Garretson  was  informed,  procured  the  lib- 
erty of  a  very  wicked  man  who  was  in  prison,  for  the  purpose 
of  taking  his  life.  This  he  was  to  do  by  lying  in  wait  for  Mr. 
Garretson  the  next  day,  but  providentially  Mr.  Garretson  heard 
of  it,  and  privately  withdrew  to  a  friend's  house  whertj  he  re- 
mained two  days.  Although  convinced  in  his  own  mind  that 
something  uncommon  would  transpire,  he  nevertheless  left  his 
place  of  retreat  and  preached  with  freedom  and  power  to  a 
weeping  congregation,  but  while  returning  to  his  friend's  house 
in  the  evening,  he  was  waylaid  by  a  company  of  men  who  had 
embodied  themselves  for  the  ])urpose  of  taking  him  to  jail. 
They  accordingly  surrounded  him,  and  called  him  their  pris- 
oner. They  beat  his  horse,  cursed  and  swore,  and  took  him 
before  a  magistrate  who  was  his  avowed  enemy,  by  whom  he 
was  judged  and  condemned  for  preaching  the  gospel,  and  or- 
dered to  jail.  Ilis  horse  was  brought,  and  twelve  men  ap- 
pointed to  guard  him  to  prison.  Being  placed  on  his  horse, 
a  man  on  each  side  held  his  horse's  bridle.  The  night  was 
very  dark,  and  when  about  a  mile  from  the  magistrate's,  an  un- 
common flash  of  lightning  dis])ersed  his  foes,  so  that  he  was 
left  alone.  The  nijjht  beinjx  still  dark  he  called  several  times, 
but  no  answer  was  given.  Soon  the  friend  at  whose  house  he 
had  been  entertained  and  secreted,  and  who  accompanied  him 


o({ 


KI'IS(.'OI'AI,    MKI'HODISM. 


lliroui^liout  the  wliulu  utluir,  approiu'licJ  liiiii,  ainl  tlx-y  V)otli 
rode  on  choeifiilly  toi^'ctluir.  At  Iciii^tli  tlicy  overtook  two  of 
the  ^'uards,  who  had  fled  and  sou^lit  shelter  in  a  little  cotta<re 
by  the  road-side,  and  were  fri^'hteiied  ahnost  out  of  their  wits. 
Mr.  (Jarretson  told  them  that  if  he  was  to  go  to  juil  that  night, 
it  was  time  thi-ywereon  thtiir  way,  as  it  was  getting  hit«. 
"<>!  no,"  said  one  of  them,  "let  us  stay  until  the  nu)rning." 
Air.  (rarri'tson  and  his  friend  however  rode  on,  and  the  sky 
having  heeome  clear  they  were  soon  surrounded  again  by  his 
guards.  They  aj»pean;d  however  to  be  somewhat  fearful  on 
account  of  the  tlisji  of  lightning,  and  one  of  them  inquired, 
"Sir,  do  you  think  the  alliir  liaj^pened  on  our  account  i"  Mr. 
Garretson  replied  he  mu-^t  he  his  own  judge  of  the  matter,  but 
reminded  him  of  the  day  of  judgment  and  the  necessity  of  being 
prepared  for  it.  While  pnjceeding  toward  the  jail,  one  of  the 
company  swore  an  oath,  but  he  was  inuuediately  reproved  by 
another,  who  exclaimed,  "  How  can  you  swear  at  such  a  time 
as  this  ?"  At  length  the  com|)any  stojiped  and  concluded  they 
luul  Ijetter  give  him  up  f)r  the  present,  and  tm'iied  their  horses 
and  went  back,  but  soon  they  rallied  again  saying,  "  We  cannot 
give  him  up,"  but  after  accom{)anying  them  for  a  few  moments 
longer,  they  finally  left  lliem. 

The  next  day  being  Sunday,  he  went  forth  to  preach,  and  to 
give  his  own  words,  "  Many  came  out  to  hear  the  word,  and  it 
was  expected  my  enemies  would  be  upon  me.  I  was  informed 
that  not  a  few  brought  short  clubs  mider  their  coats,  to  defend 
me  in  case  of  an  attack,  for  many  had  just  about  religion  enough 
to  fight  for  it.  As  I  was  giving  out  my  hymn,  stanilin^  Ix*- 
tween  the  hall  and  room  doors,  about  twenty  of  my  I'ersecntors 
came  up  in  a  body.  I  was  amazed  to  see  one  of  them  who 
was  an  old  man,  and  his  head  tus  white  as  a  sheet.  The  ring- 
leader rushed  forward,  presented  a  i)istol,  and  laid  iioM  of  me. 
Blessed  be  God  !  my  contidence  was  so  strong  in  him  that  I 
feared  none  of  these  things.  Some  of  the  audience  who  stood 
next  to  mc,  gave  me  a  sudden  jerk  ;  T  was  presently  in  the 


m 


wmr 


I'KISONKHS    AT    TIIK    riOIKL. 


IT 


roorn  and  the  door  shut.  As  soon  a  I  couM,  I  opf^noJ  it,  and 
beckoning  to  my  friends,  desirod  that  they  should  not  injure 
my  enemies;  that  I  did  not  want  to  k<'oj»  from  them,  hut  was 
willing  to  go  to  jail.  It'  I  Ind  not  -spoken  in  this  manner  I 
believe  much  blood  would  have  been  shed.  I  began  to  ex- 
liurt,  and  almost  the  wliole  congregation  were  in  ti\'vrs.  The 
women  in  particular  were  amazingly  agitated.  [  desired  my 
liorse  to  be  g  ,t,  and  I  was  accomj)ani("l  to  Cambridge,  where 
I  was  kept  in  a  tavern  from  twelve  o'clock  till  near  sunset, 
surrounded  by  the  wicked,  and  it  was  a  great  n)ercy  of  God 
that  my  life  wa>  prt'S(>rved. 

"  When  we  came  to  tlw  hotel,  my  friend  and  I  were  ])ermit- 
ted  to  occupy  a  room  adjoining  the  larg(^  public  room.  The 
inhabitants  of  the  place  seemed  to  be  coming  and  going  the 
whole  day,  and  kept  the  room  tilled  the  whole  of  tin;  time, 
drinking  and  rejoicing  over  their  prey.  My  friend  w.isayoung 
boldier,  and  the  trial  was  tu.>  great  for  him.  One  (^f  the  com- 
jiany,  a  stout  man,  was  about  to  break  into  the  room  to  abuse 
him,  for  their  hatred  against  hiiu  was  almost  as  great  a.s  it  was 
against  me — and  actual! •  did  strike  at  him  with  all  his  force 
with  a  large,  loaded  whip,  and  in  all  probability  would  have 
kill(Ml  him,  had  not  the  whip  struck  the  top  of  tin-  door.  My 
friend  was  young  and  active,  ai  1  ho  instantly  sprung  and  as 
quickly  sent  his  fist  into  the  fellow's  temple,  who,  like  a  Goliah 
under  1  Juvid's  sling,  fell  Hat  to  the  floor,  and  there  was  a  roar 
of  laughter  through  the  house  and  a  declaration,  '  The  Method- 
ists will  fight.'  At  a  convenient  time  I  got  my  friend  round 
the  neck  and  W(>pt,  and  told  him  he  had  grieved  my  spirit. 
He  said  lie  was  sorry  on  account  of  grieving  me;  but  that  it 
was  almost  ;is  sudden  as  thought,  that  it  appeared  to  him  that 
his  arm  was  nerved  for  the  purpose,  and  that  lie  did  not  feel  as 
if  he  had  done  wrong.  And  I  must  say  I  think  they  behaved 
rather  better  afterwards. 

"  A  little  before  night,  T  wjus  thrust  into  prison,  and  my 
enemies  took  away  the  key  that  none  might  minister  to  my 


'.*■: 


f^ 


68 


El'lSUOI'AL    MKIIIODIHM. 


nucessilies.  I  liiul  a  dirty  Hoor  for  my  Iteil,  tny  sinMlc-bMj^s  for 
my  [jillovv,  aii<l  tW(;  lari^o  windows  open,  with  a  cold  Ciist 
wind  blowini;  upon  me  ;  but  1  li:nl  j^reat  consolation  in  the 
Lord,  and  (ouM  say,  'Thy  will  be  done.'  *  *  *  Many, 
both  acquaintan.ics  and  stranLi;(U-s,  came  to  visit  ino  from  far 
nnd  near,  and  I  r«!ally  believe  I  never  was  the  means  of  doing 
inor(!  t;ood  for  thn  tinit! :  for  the  country  seemed  to  l)e  much 
alarmed,  and  the  iNb;thodists  amoti<(  whom  I  had  labored,  to 
whom  I  had  written  many  e[)islles,  were  much  stirred  up 
to  pray  for  me.  I  shall  never  fors^et  the  kindness  I  rec(!ived 
from  dear  brother  and  sist(!r  Arey.  They  suffered  much  for 
the  cause,  of  (Jod  in  Dorset  county,  for  which,  if  faithful,  they 
will  be  an)ply  compensated  in  a  l)etter  world. 

"Mr.  ami  Mrs.  A.  were  remarkably  kind,  and  sent  me  every- 
thint^  which  was  necessary.  My  brother  Thomas,  who  lived 
about' an  hundred  miles  otf,  h(\ird  of  my  im[)risunm(!nt  and 
came  to  see  me,  and  IjroUL'ht  a  letter  from  Judire  White  to  Mr. 
Harrison,  a  gentleman  of  note,  who  was  the  greatest  enemy  I 
had  in  town.  After  reading  the  letter  he  not  oidy  invited  my 
brother  to  put  up  at  his  house,  but  went  and  got  the  prison 
key,  and  my  brother  came  in,  and  next  morning  he  came  to 
the  jail  and  invited  him  out  to  breakfast,  and  told  me  he  would 
do  anything  he  could  for  me.  lieforo  this  he  was  as  bitter  as 
gall.  One  day,  when  an  old  Quaker  friend  cimie  to  see  me,  lib 
came  and  abused  him,  and  strove  to  drive  him  away.  The 
Quaker  made  him  ashamed  of  his  conduct.  My  enemies  sent 
a,  spy  who  Ivigned  himself  a  penitent,  and  as  I  was  coming 
down  stairs  to  eonverse  with  him  through  th(!  window,  it  came 
j)0werl\illy  to  my  mind,  '  he  is  an  enemy,  sent  if  possible  to 
draw  sunK^thing  out  of  you  concerning  the  war.'  lie  crii'd, 
and  said  he  was  a  miseraijie  sinner ;  that  he  was  afraid  he 
would  go  to  hell,  and  wanted  to  know  what  he  should  do  to  be 
saved.  I  told  him  to  leav(!  (jfl"sw(;arinfj  and  drunkenness,  and 
return,  and  I  would  give  him  fartiuM-  directions.  I  afterwird« 
found  he  was  the  very  character  1  had  supposed. 


PKUfiKCl'TIOV    OV    Mil.    !IARTLKY. 


50 


"  My  crime  of  pivachirii:^  the  yjospel  was  so  great,  that  no 
coininon  court  couhl  try  my  causo.  Thuro  aj)[)eare(l  to  be  a 
prol)al)ility  of  my  stayiiii^  in  jail  till  a  i^ciieral  court,  which 
would  not  convciUc  in  tx'arly  twelve  mcjiiths.  My  good  fricaid, 
Mr.  Aslniry,  went  to  the  governor  of  Maryland,  and  he  ht'fri<*nded 
UK' ;  had  1  hem  his  lyrothcr  he  could  not  have  done  more  for 
ni(\  Tht!  manner  in  whiih  Ik*  iirooccdcd  to  rclicnc;  me  was 
tlii; — 1  was  an  iidiahitant  of  .Maryland  by  birth  an<l  property, 
I  could  likewise  claim  a  right  in  the  Delaware  state,  which 
state  was  more  favorable  to  sueh  pestilent  fellows.  I  was  car- 
ried before  the  governor  <jf  J)elaware.  This  gentleman  was  a 
friend  to  our  Society.  He  met  me  at  the  door,  and  welccmied 
me  in,  assuring  me  that  he  woidd  do  anything  he  could  to 
helj)  me.  A  recommendatory  lette-r  was  imm(;diately  despatched 
to  the  governor  of  Maryland  :  and  1  was  entirely  at  liberty. 
O  !  how  wonderfully  did  the  j)eople  of  1  )or>et  rage ;  but  the 
word  of  the  Lord  spread  all  through  that  county,  and  hundreds, 
both  white  and  l)lack,  have  experienced  the  love  of  Jesus. 
Since  that  tiuK!,  1  have  preached  to  more  than  three  thousand 
jx'ople  in  one  congregation,  not  far  from  the  j)lace  where  I  was 
imprisoned,  and  many  of  u.y  worst  enemies  have  bowed  to  the 
sceptre  of  our  Sovereign  Lord." 

The  reader  can  infer  from  the  above  statements  of  Mr.  Crar- 
rotson,  the  state  of  public  feeling  in  ditl'erent  parts  of  the  country 
in  relation  to  the  Methodists,  and  how  the  great  Head  of  the 
church  overruled  the  persecution-*,  for  the  good  of  his  own 
cause,  and  made  even  "  the  wrath  of  man  praise  him,"  while 
"  the  remainder  of  wrath  he  restrained."  As  a  farther  e.xhibition 
of  the  opposition  of  the  wicked  to  the  preaching  of  the  ejirly 
Methodists  and  the  good  effects  resulting  therefrom,  an  addi- 
tionjd  instance  of  persecution  may  be  i^'iven. 

In  17*78,  Mr.  Joseph  Hartley,  a  Methodist  preacher,  was 
arrested  in  Queen  Ann's  county,  Maryland,  for  no  crime  excej)t 
jtreaching  the  gospel.  He  gave  bonds  to  aj)pear  at  the  next 
court  fur  trial,  and  in  the  meantime  was  forbidden  to  preach. 


60 


KI'ISCOl'AL    MKTHOUISM. 


]I<',  licwevcr,  felt  it  liis  duty  to  attend  his  npjiointtnents,  and 
alter  singing  and  jirayer,  lie  would  remain  upon  liis  kne<!fe  and 
oxliort  the  ))eopIe  to  rej)eiit,  with  so  much  effect,  that  his  ene- 
mies said  that  he  might  as  well  pn-ach  standing  on  his  feet,  as  on 
his  knei's.  lie  went  from  (^ueeii  Ann's  to  Talbot  county, 
where  lie  was  again  apprehended  and  eommittod  to  jail.  His 
being  confnied  in  pri>;on,  however,  did  not  silence  him.  Tlie 
poo])Ie,  anxious  to  see  the  man  who  was  imprisoned  i'o^  con- 
science' sake,  frequently  gathered  around  the  jail,  and  ho, 
desirous  of  ])rom()ting  their  spiritual  good,  preached  to  them 
through  the  iron  grates,  and  with  such  zeal  and  powt^r,  that 
some  were  awakened  to  a  sense  of  their  sinful  condition,  and 
began  in  earnest  to  seek  the  Lord.  This  state  of  things  alarmed 
the  ungodly,  and  induced  some  of  them  to  say,  that  unless  Mr. 
Hartley  was  released  from  jail  he  would  convert  the  whole 
town.  He  was  at  length  set  at  liberty,  but  the  seed  sown  by 
him  through  the  grates  of  his  prison  was  not  lost,  but  took 
deep  root  in  the  hearts  of  many,  and  resulted  in  the  formation 
of  a  nourishing  Society.  Thus,  notwithstanding  the  opposition 
of  the  wicked  to  the  prejicliing  of  the  Methodists,  the  word  of 
(iod  continued  to  oiierate  on  the  hearts  anil  conseiciices  of  mer., 
bringing  them  into  "captivity  to  the  law  of  Chris*,"  so  that 
during  the  Revolution,  the  Nh'thodist  Societies  continued. to  mul- 
tiply, and  the  doctrines  of  the  Methodists  to  become  more 
generally  known  and  ajipreciated.  The  increase  of  the  Socie- 
ties, both  north  and  south,  demanded  an  increase  of  preachers, 
so  that  notwithstanding  the  ravages  of  war,  and  the  distracting 
state  of  jiublic  affairs,  yet  on  the  cessation  of  liostilities,  it  was 
found  at  the  conf'reiiei^  of  1783,  that  the  prt-achers  had 
incrcjased  to  eighty-two,  and  tin;  members  to  l.'),'7'10,  making  a 
net  gain  during  the  war  of  the  lievohition — reckoning  from 
lllo — of  sixty-live  preachers,  and  10,502  members! 

AVe  have  stated  on  a  ])revious  page,  that  during  the  preva- 
lence of  hostilities,  Mr.  Rankin,  the  General  Assistant — with 
some  other   English   prcJichers — felt   it  his  duty  to  return   to 


WANT    UK    ORUAINED    MINISTERS. 


61 


England,  and  as  no  one  had  been  appointed  by  Mr.  Wesley  to 
till  his  place  as  superintendent  of  the  Socii^ties  in  America,  Mr. 
Asbury,  at  the  conference  of  1779,  was,  by  a  vote  of  the  con- 
ference, chosen  to  act  as  the  General  Superintendent,  which  he 
afterwards  did  to  the  great  satisfaction  of  the  preachers  and 
members. 

Notwithstandino'  the  general  prosperity  of  the  work  during 
the  Revolution,  various  perplexing  questions  agitated  the  Socie- 
ties and  Conferences,  especially  in  the  southern  portion  of  the 
field.  Among  the  most  important  and  perplexing  of  these 
questions,  was  one  which  related  to  the  administration  of  the 
ordinances  by  thp  preachers.  For  it  will  be  borne  in  mind  by 
the  reader,  that  the  preachers  were  not  ordained,  and  conse- 
quently had  no  right  to  administer  the  ordinances  of  baptism 
and  the  Lord's  Supper.  In  fact,  Mr.  Wesley  being  iiiraself  a 
minister  of  the  Church  of  England,  looked  upon  his  preachers, 
whether  in  England  or  America,  not  as  ministers — fully  set 
apart  to  the  work — but  as  laij-jvrachers  simply.  In  England, 
where  there  was  one  or  more  clergymen  in  every  parish,  no 
necessity  seemed  to  exist  for  the  ordination  of  Mr.  Wesley's 
preachers,  but  in  America,  it  was  far  otherwise.  Many  of  the 
Episcopal  clergy,  on  the  breaking  out  of  hostilities,  left  their 
churches  and  tlu  ir  flocks  and  went  to  pjigland,  so  that  for 
hundreds  of  miles  around  no  one  could  be  found  properly 
•qualified  to  administer  the  ordinance  of  baptism  to  the  children, 
or  the  saerament  of  the  P^iicharist  to  the  dying.  In  conse- 
quence of  this  scarcity  of  tiiinisters,  the  Methodist  preachers 
were  fiecjuently  importuned  by  the  ])eople  to  celebrate  those 
ordinances,  and  so  lou.'.  became  the  demand  in  this  n'spect  at 
tlu!  south,  that  at  a  confenaice  of  southern  preachers,  held  in 
Virginia  in  1779,  a  committee  was  appointed  Lo  ordain  minis- 
ters, who,  having  lirst  ordained  each  other,  proceeded  to  ordain 
others  by  the  iin{)Ositioii  of  hands  and  prayer.  lS\v.  Asbury, 
who  was  not  ignorant  of  the  feeling  existing  at  the  south  on 
the  above  subject,  endeavored,  with   the  concurrence  of  the 


62 


KPISCOPAL    METHODISM. 


t-m 


northern  preachers,  to  dissuade  the  preachers  and  people  of 
the  south  from  carrying  their  design  into  execution,  and  a 
delegate  from  the  northern  preachers  was  appointed  to  meet 
the  ahove  conference  in  Virginia  to  prevent,  if  possible,  by  argu- 
ment and  entreaty,  the  carrying  or.t  of  their  proposed  measures. 
All  efforts,  however,  were  univailing,  and  the  preachers  were 
ordained  as  before  stated.  This  circumstance  caused  a  tempo- 
rary breach  between  the  northern  and  southern  preachers,  and 
at  the  next  session  of  the  conference  held  in  Baltimore  in  1T80, 
at  which  the  northern  j)reachers  were  present,  the  southern 
preachers,  as  a  condition  of  union,  were  required  to  suspend 
the  administration  of  the  ordinances  for  one  year.  On  the 
adjournment  of  the  Baltimore  Conference,  as  the  southern 
preachers  were  not  present  but  had  called  a  separate  conference 
in  Virginia — Mr.  Asbury  and  other  prominent  members  went 
to  meet  the  latter  in  their  sej)arate  caj)acity,  and  after  having 
laid  the  matUir  before  them,  a  reconciliation  was  happily  effected, 
the  Virginian  brethren  agreeing  tu  desist  from  the  administra- 
tion of  the  ordinances  for  the  present. 

At  length  the  war  of  the  Revolution  was  at  an  end  ;  peace 
was  declared  between  ]>rilain  and  her  rebellious  sul^jects  in 
Anil  rica;  the  political  and  national  independence  of  the  latter 
was  secured  ;  Church  and  Stiite  were  divorced  ;  and  the  Amer- 
icans were  in  ecclesiastical,  as  well  as  in  civil  matters,  left  to 
provide  for  themselves.  Under  these  circumstances  the  Meth- 
odists, who  now  numbered  about  14,000  members,  and  prob- 
ably had  twice  that  number  of  adherents,  thus  conslitutiiiix  at 
least  one-sixth  part  of  the  jjopulalion  of  the  United  States, 
could  not  remain  indifferent  to  their  future  condition  as  an  ec- 
clesiastical body.  The  advice;  of  Mr.  Wesley  was  sought,  and 
freely  and  frankly  given  ;  and  such  advice,  and  the  provision 
made  by  him  for  the  sei)arate,  independent  existenci!  of  the 
American  Societies  resulted,  as  hereafter  shown,  in  the  organ- 
ization of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 


SfATE    OF    TlIK    CHURCH    Al'TKK    THE    REVOLUTION. 


03 


SECTION  IV. 


Until  the  acknowledgment  of  American  independence,  the 
Methodists  in  America,  as  well  as  in  England,  were  considered  by 
Mr.  Wesley,  smd  the  ]>reachers  who  acted  under  his  authority,  as  a 
Society  within  a  Church,  or  to  speak  more  properly,  as  a  religious 
Society,  the  members  of  which  belonged  to  various  Churches. 
The  preachers,  as  a  general  thing,  professed  to  be  nothing  more 
than  lay,  /.  c,  \mordaiiied  preachers,  with  no  authority  to  ad- 
minister the  ordinances.  In  America  the  want  of  a  ministry 
properly  qualified  and  authorizetl  to  administer  baptism  and  the 
Lord's  Sujtper.  had  been  long  and  severely  felt.  Mr.' Wesley 
had  befuro  the  aeknowh'dgmcut  of  American  independence 
been  importuneil  to  provide  for  the  exigencies  of  the  case  by 
appointiuLf  vtinisters  for  America,  but  as  a  presbyter  of  the 
Church  (if  l^>ngland,  and  such  a  step  being  foreign  from  his  ori- 
ginal design  in  forming  Societies,  he  resisted  such  a}>plications 
for  a  separate  ecclesiastical  existence. 

The  colonies,  however,  having  become  civilly  and  ecclesiasti- 
cally independent  of  Great  Britain,  Mr.  Wesley  began  to  think 
seriously  of  the  frequent  re(|uests  made  by  his  American  chil- 
dren for  a  ministry  of  their  own,  and  his  scrui)les  being  at 
length  overcome  by  the  seeming  necessities  of  the  case,  and 
the  advice  of  judicious  friends,  he  tliially  resolved  to  adoj)t 
measures  by  v.'hich  pastors  might  be  provide(l  for  his  distant 
flocks,  measures  by  which  a  fold  might  be  made  for  the  secu- 
rity of  those  sheep  who  otherwise  would  be,  in  danger  of  losing, 
not  only  their  way  in  the  wilderness,  but  their  spiritual  if  iiot 
eternal  life.  Accordingly  at  the  conference  held  in  Leeds  in 
the,  sjjring  of  178  4,  he  made  arrangements  to  send  the  llev. 
Thomas  Coke,  LL.D.,  uid  some  other  preachers  to  America, 
for  the  purpose  of  carrying  out  his  parental  designs.  He  also, 
previously  to  their  departure,  abridged  the  Conmion  rrayer- 
Book  of  the  Church  of  England  for  the  use  of  his  Societies  in 


&|: 


fj 


6^ 


EPISCOrAL    METHODISM. 


11'^  .'III  ' 


I 


'f  '  ;  'H, 


America;  and  a  so  by  the  imposition  of  liands — bi'ing  assisted 
by  other  ordaiiiou  clergymen  of  the  Cliurch  of  Enghuul — set 
apart  Dr.  Coke,  himself  a  presbyter  of  the  English  Church,  to 
the  office  of  superintendent  or  bishop,  that  he  might  feed  and 
preside  over  the  flock  of  Christ  in  North  America,  and  appoint 
such  men  to  the  ministry  as  he  thought  fit  to  ordain  for  that 
purpose.  Mr.  Wesley  also  set  apart  Mr.  Kichard  Whatcoat 
and  Mr.  Thomas  Vasey  to  the  ofKce  of  elders  in  the  church. 

These  ministers  being  furnished  with  proper  credentials  by 
Mr.  Wesley,  left  England  for  their  distant  fi(!ld  of  labor,  and 
arrived  in  New  York  on  the  3d  of  November,  1784,  Notice 
was  immediately  given  of  their  arrival  through  all  parts  of  the 
connection,  and  a  conference  was  called  to  meet  at  Baltimore 
on  the  25th  of  December  following.  The  conference  accord- 
ingly  assembled  at  the  time  appointed.  At  this  period  there 
were  eighty -three  preachers  in  the  travelling  connection,  and 
sixty  of  these  appeared  in  answer  to  the  call.  The  first  act  of 
the  conference  was  to  appoint  Dr.  Coke  and  Mr.  Asbury  joint 
superintendents,  for  although  the  former  had  l)een  appointed  to 
that  office  by  Mr.  Wesley,  yet  he  declined  officiating  as  such, 
except  he  could  obtain  the  consent  of  the  conference.  This 
consent  was  cheerfully  and  unanimously  given  ;  and  Dr.  Coke, 
by  virtue  of  the  authority  vested  in  him,  ordained  Mr.  Asbury, 
first  as  a  deacon,  then  as  an  elder,  and  lastly  as  a  superintend- 
ent of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church ;  and  by  a  unanimous 
vote  of  the  conference,  they  resolved  themselves  into  a  Meth- 
Ddist  Episcopal  «  huich.  The  organization  of  the  Church 
gave  great  satisraction  to  tl;.  Methodist  people  generally,  for 
xiow  instead  of  being  <'epoiiJen!  as  they  had  heretofore  been 
on  th(!  ministers  c!  'iiffM-nt  churches  for  the  ordinances  of 
Christianity,  they  coul-.i  iook  to  their  own  church  and  to  their 
own  ministers  for  tii-^c  appendages  of  a  Christian  Church. 
Nor  had  it  been,  as  before  stated,  at  all  times  possible  for  the 
Methodists  to  avail  themselves  of  these  thino-s,  even  throujih 
the  ministers  of  other  churches.     On  the  breaking  out  of  the 


ORUANJZATION    OF    THK    OUURCII. 


es 


revolutionary  war,  us  already  shown,  most  of  the  English  Epis- 
copal clergy  had  left  their  flocks,  and  the  greater  part  of  them 
who  remained,  were  anything  but  fit,  in  point  of  moral  charac- 
ter, to  preach  the  gos])el,  much  less  to  administer  the  sacred 
ordinances  of  the  church.  The  Presbyterian  and  Congrega- 
tional ministers  would  n(jt  baj)tize  a  child  unless  at  least  one 
of  the  parents  )>rof.'ssed  faith  in  the  doctrines  of  Calvin ;  nor 
would  they  admit  the  Methodists  to  the  Supper  of  the  Lord. 
While  the  Baptists,  as  a  matter  of  course,  would  neither  bap- 
tize the  children  nor  admit  to  the  communion  any  but  those 
who  had  been  immersed.  And  besides  all  these  considerations, 
by  each  and  all  of  the  denominations  just  mentioned,  the  Meth- 
odists were  looked  upon  not  as  a  Christian  community,  but 
as  a  Society  of  heretics  ;  a  band  of  wild  enthusiasts  ;  a  com- 
pany of  dangerous  fanatics.  In  addition  to  these  considera- 
tions, the  Methodists  had  U-en  converted  through  the  instru- 
mentality of  men  who  were  above  all  others  the  most  proper 
persons  to  feed  the  tiock  of  Christ,  of  whom  the  *'  Holy  Ghost 
had  made  them  overseers."  It  need  not  therefore  create  sur- 
prise that  at  the  organization  of  the  Methodist  E[iiscopal 
Church,  with  a  ministry  fully  qualified  to  administer  all  the 
ordinances  of  the  gospel,  a  sensation  of  joy  and  gratitude 
ehould  be  experienced  throughout  the  entire  connection,  and 
that  the  provision  made  by  Mr.  Wesley,  the  father,  the  founder, 
the  Apostle  of  Methodism,  for  tlW-  perpetuation  of  the  privi- 
leges of  Christianity  should  be  b«Hed  by  all,  both  preachers 
and  people.  Nor  was  the  step  taken  in  the  organization  of  the 
church  hailed  with  greater  pleasure  than  it  was  followed  by 
the  most  beneficial  results.  The  great  Head  of  the  Church 
sanctioned  the  doings  of  his  ministers  and  servants,  and  by  the 
frequent  outpourings  of  his  Spirit  upon  the  j)eople  gave  evi- 
dence of  his  divine  approbation,  »i^' applied  his  own  seal  to 
the  ministry  of  the  church. 

After  a  harmonious  session  of  several   days  the  ministers, 
of  whom  twelve  were  ord^tined  at  this   conference,  and    the 


f 


i: 


66 


KJ'ISOOI'AL    MKillOOItM. 


preacliors  sopiintt.'d  for  their  rcsj)('C'tiv(!  tiulds  of  livbor.  Mr. 
(rarrcLson  at>d  Mr.  C!roin\vell  liaviiig  been  ap[)oiiited  to  Nova 
Scotia,  soon  after  left  for  tliat  distant  part  of  tlie  north  to  labor 
for  the  b(>nofit  of  the  loyal  refugees  who  had  fled  A-om  the 
United  States,  during  the  war,  to  that  province,  and  who,  not- 
withstanding their  attachment  to  the  IJritish  cause,  were  many 
of  them  sincere  Christians.  These  and  other  Methodists  from 
England  required  pastoral  care,  and  Mr.  (iarret^on  willingly 
consented  to  leave  his  own  land  for  their  sakes  and  the  gos- 
pel's, and  in  that  province  had  tlie  satisfaction  of  seeing  the 
work  of  (jtod  rtivived,  and  men's  rouls  converted. 

])v.  Coke  and  Mr.  v\sbury  as  joint  su))eriiitendents  of  the 
Methodist   E[)iscopal   Church,  soon    commenced   a  course  .of 
arduous  labors  for  the  advancement  of  the  cause  of  Christ  in 
different  parts  of  the  land.     Instead  of  being  confined   to    a 
small  State,  or  territory,  as  their   diocese,  they  considered  the 
continent  as  their  i)arish.     Jlence  they  were  almost  constantly 
engaged  in  travelling  from  State  to  State,  preaching  tlm  gos- 
pel of  the  Kingdom  and  making  full   proof  of    their   ministry. 
One  im{)ortant  work  which  the  superintendents  had  in  view 
even  before  the  church  was  organized,  was  the  establishment 
of  a  Methodist  college  for  the  benelitof  the  cliildren  and  youth 
of  the  membershij).     After  soliciting  donations,  &c.,  a  sufficient 
sum  was  secured  to  warrant  the  erection  of  a  prop(;r  building, 
and  the  week  after  the  adjournment  of  the  conference  just  al- 
luded to,  a  site  was  selected  about  twenty-five  miles  from  Bal- 
timore, and  orders  given  to  commence  th(i  building;  and  in  a 
sliort  time  a  beautiful,  yet  modest  structure  arosi;  to  grace  the 
banks  of  the  Chesapeake  ]^)ay,  and  to  throw  its  commanding 
outlin(>s  along  the  course  of  the  Sus([ueliannah  River.     In  due 
time  the  college  was  opened  under  the  most  flattering  auspices, 
and  in  honor  of  the  two  superintendents  who  were  its  actual 
foundewH,  it  was  named  Cokesbury  College.     After  flourishing 
for  about  ten  years  from  the  time  of  its  commencement,  it  was 
consumed  by  fire  in  the  year  1775,  and   the  Connection  thus 


mmmm 


mmm 


■m 


DR.    COKKS    KKTURN    TO    ENGLAND. 


67 


lie 


lost  th(»  ontini  siiin  (*x|k'I1(1(!(1  iijioii  its  (M'cction,  ainoUMtiiio-  tu 
ten  tliousHiul  puuiuls,  or  torty  tliuiisaiul  dolliirs. 

After  this  calamity,  Mr.  Asbury  bpcaiiic  disoourawd  about 
the  educHtional  interests  of  the  churdi,  and  tlioui;'ht  it  useless 
to  make  any  farther  attempts  at  rcbuildinij^;  but  Dr.  Coke, 
whose  love  of  sound  learnin<;-,  and  zeal  in  its  behalf,  surpassed 
that  of  his  pious  colleague,  at  once  determined  to  make  an- 
other effort;  and  being  encouraged  by  the  liberality  of  a  few 
wealthy  friends  in  Baltimore  and  other  places,  a  l';rge  build- 
ing in  tliat  city  w;is  purchased  for  tiu^  sum  of  twenty-tive 
thousand  dollars,  and  the  college  was  again  opened  under  even 
more  favorable  circumstances  than  the  former  one  ;  but,  alas  ! 
a  fati;  similar  to  that  which  befell  the  former  one  awaited  it, 
and  in  a  short  time  the  college  and  the  church  connected  with 
it  were  burned  to  the  ground.  This  latter  calamity  more  than 
ever  discouraged  the;  friends  of  education  among  the  Method- 
ists, and  for  a  numijer  of  years  little  or  nothing  was  done  to 
revive  an  interest  in  this  direction. 

Shortly  after  making  pro\ision  for  the  erection  of  the  lirst 
college  and  after  the  adjournment  of  the  Baltim<jre  Conference 
in  JutK!,  Dr.  (.'oki',  having  fulfilled  his  mission  for  the  present, 
returned  to  Europe,  where  he  was  exposed  to  much  obloquy 
and  reproach  from  the  Iligli  (Miurch  Episcopalians  of  England, 
•who  thouiiht,  or  i»retended  to  think  that  his  ao-encv  in  the 
organi/.ation  of  tin;  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  w;is  incon- 
sistent with  his  relation  as  a  (Jhurch  of  iMiglaiid  minister. 
Historical  fidelity  also  re([uires  us  to  notice  that  Mr.  Charles 
Wc^sley,  who  hail  been  opposed  to  the  course  pursued  by  his 
brother  John  in  tin;  ordination  of  1  >r.  ( 'oke  to  the  su|ierin- 
tendency  of  the  American  Societies — not  only  was  dissatisfied 
with  Dr.  (Joke  on  that  aeeouiit,  but  in  an  anonymous  pubhcation 
commented  sevendy  on  the  doctors  procet^lings  in  America  as 
it  relates  to  the  organization  of  the  church,  and  especially  the 
reasons  given  by  the  doctor  for  such  organization,  in  liis  sermon 
preached  at  the  consecration  of  Mr.  Asbury.     In  this  scrmpu 


I 


m 


RPISrOl'M.    MKTHOUISM. 


h(^  auitnadvoiit'il  in  si  voiv  terms  upon  tlic  conduct  and  morals 
of  the  American  Episcojial  clergy,  ius  well  as  rellected  in  plain 
language  upon  tlieir  political  and  parasitical  character,  and 
gave  the  ahove,  with  the  altered  political  condition  of  the 
country,  as  reasons  for  the  separate  existence  (jf  the  Methodists 
as  a  body.  It  was  said  by  the  anonymous  writer  referred  to, 
that  the  doctor  had  condemned  the  constitution  of  his  own 
country;  Uiat  he  had  vililied  his  clerical  brethren  in  America; 
that  ho  had  contradicted  the  uniform  declarations  of  John  and 
Charles  Wesley  in  relation  to  separating  from  the  church,  ifec. 
To  those  severe  charges  the  doctor  replied  in  substance :  that 
lie  beli(!ved  the  constitution  and  government  of  i^ngland  to  bo 
6U{)erior  to  any  other  for  the  jiritish  empire,  but  that  both 
were  liable  to  abuse,  and  had  been  abused  in  the  case  of  the 
American  Colonies  ;  that  the  churches  in  America  were,  in 
general,  tilltid  with  the  |)arasites  and  bottle  co!nj)anions  of  the 
rich  and  great ;  and  that  the  drunkard,  fornicator,  and  extor- 
tioner triumphed  over  bleeding  Zion,  because  they  were  tuithful 
abettors  of  the  ruling  powers;  and  he  indignantly  denied  that 
tho  Episco})al  clergy  in  America  were  his  brethren,  that  while 
he  would  esteem  it  an  honor  to  sit  at  the  feet  of  several  of  them, 
generally,  they  were  the  most  wretched  set  of  men  that  ever 
disgraced  the  Church  of  God ;  that  he  had  dotie  nothing  in 
relation  to  the  organization  of  the  Methodist  Church  but  by 
delegated  power  received  from  Mr.  Wesley.  These  charges 
against  Dr.  Coke  by  such  a  man  as  Charles  Wesley  not  only 
show  the  High  Church,  and  ultra-loyalist  principles  of  the  lat- 
ter, but  the  difficult  position  which  the  former  sustained  as  a 
clergyman  of  the  English  establishment,  and  at  the  same  time 
as  the  joint  head  of  an  independent  church  in  the  American 
Republic.  The  reply  also  vindicates  the  doctor  in  the  fullest 
manner  from  the  charges  preferred  against  him  l)y  his  anony- 
mous accus(ir. 

While  Dr.  Coke  was  thus  defending  himself  against  the  mis- 
representations of  mistaken  brethren  in  England,  Mr.  Asbury 


IIIK     rm.K    OK    lilSIKJl'    ADOl'TKU. 


69 


remained  at  liis  post  in  Aiiiciica,  tr.-ivcHiiiu;  tVoin  jilacfi  to  placo 
and  overseeing  the  wiJik  iis  a  laitlitiil  superintendent.  Tiio 
great  increase  of  preachers  made  it  inconvenient  for  aii  to  meet 
togetlicr  in  one  conference;  accordingly,  in  1780,  tliroe  con- 
ferences were  held,  one  in  North  Cai'olina,  one  in  Virginia,  and 
another  in  IJaltiiiiore.  In  the  fjUowing  year,  178Y,  three  con- 
ferences were  also  held,  being  presided  ov(;r  by  Dr.  Coke  and 
Mr.  Asbury,  the  former  of  whom  had  again  visited  America, 
but  as  t])e  doctor  did  not  design  to  mal<e  his  stay  permanent, 
and  as  some  dissatisfaclion  arose  from  his  having  changed  tlio 
place  and  timii  for  holding  the  conference,  it  was  agreed  that 
the  doctor  should  only  exercise  the  Kpiscopal  oflice  when  in 
America. 

This  year  also  the  title  lUshop  was  inserted  in  tlie  Discipline 
instead  of  the  title  S/ipci'iHtciK/oit  as  before  used,  probably  for 
tiie  following  reasons  among  others  :  Tt  is  a  shorter  word,  and 
consequently  more  convenient  for  address  ;  it  is  more  exj»ressive 
of  the  actual  relation  sustained  by  the  persons  to  whon»  it  vtas 
apj)lied  than  superintendents  ;  it  has  precisely  the  same  signifi- 
cation as  overseer,  which  latter  relation  was  sustained,  and  is 
sustained  by  the  p]pisco])acy  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  ; 
it  was  also  more  scriptural ;  and  lastly,  the  title  was  better 
understood  by  the  people  generally  than  superintendent  or 
overseer  could  be,  when  ajiplied  to  an  officer  in  the  church. 
Another  reason  may  also  have  induced  the  preachers  to 
bestow,  and  the  superintendents  to  accept  the  title  of  Bishop 
— a  disposition  to  claim  for  the  nevvlv  orijanized  church, 
an  episcopacy  as  scriptural  at  least  in  its  character  as  any 
other  episcopacy  upt)n  earth ;  and  this  claim  not  only  the 
bishops,  but  the  conference,  and  (;ven  Mr.  Weslev  himself  w^ere 
willing  to  avow  everywhere,  openly  and  boldly  ;  althcnigh  it 
must  be  admitted  tiiai  the  latter,  whilt;  he  viewed  himself  to 
be  a  scriptural  Epiacopus  or  liishop,  as  much  so  as  any  man 
upon  earth,  was,  nevertheless,  prejudiced  against  the  use  of  the 
term  ;  and  while  he  ordained  Dr.  Coke,  and  gave  him  authority 


! 


I 


ft 


I 


i 
I 


,0  KIMSCol'AI,    MKTHOUISM. 

to  ordain  Mr.  Asli'.iry,  aiitl  provided  a  form  of  service  fur  such 
ordination  to  the  ollicc-  of  a  bishop  in  the  Church  of  Ood,  he 
preferred  the  more  modest  title  of  superintendent.  Hence  ho 
expresses  his  fears  in  a  letter  to  Mr.  Asbury,  that  the  latter  was 
gettini^  proud,  and  even  reproves  him  for  suil'ering  himself  to 
be  called  a  bislio]i;  not  that  he  doubted  the  fact  of  bis  being 
Buch,  but  doubted  the  propricity  of  u^ing  such  terms  or  having 
them  ap[ilied  to  each  other  as  Methodist  ministers.  This,  how- 
ever, was  a  mere  matter  of  taste  with  Mr.  Wesley,  whose  ex- 
traordinary humilily  would  not  allow  him  t-ven  to  call  a  college 
esstablished  in  America  by  his  preachers,  by  a  more  dignitit^d 
name  than  School.  Notwithstanding  the  objections  of  Mr. 
Wesley  to  the  assum[»tion  of  the  title,  and  his  fears  that  the 
Methodist  K[)iscopacy  would  become  lordly  and  overbearing 
hke  th(^  hierarcliit.'s  of  Kurope  in  conseipience  of  such  title, 
the  preachers  continued  to  emj)loy  the  term;  and  although  over 
sixty  years  have  passed  since  the;  use  of  the  same,  and  the 
original  bislH)j>s  have  long  sinc(r  bei^n  numbered  with  the  dead, 
and  although  in)j)ortant  changes  have  been  ett'ected  in  relation 
to  the  persons  filling  the  episcopal  chair,  and  in  regard  to  the 
duties  of  their  ofVice ;  yet  we  iiave  failed  to  see  the  lordly  air, 
the  pompous  pride,  the  gorgeous  vestments,  which,  by  the  op- 
posers  of  the  title,  were  no  doubt  held  in  reserve  for  the  Metho- 
dist Episcopacy,  but  have  reason  to  thank  God  that  the  purity 
and  simplicity  of  the  e])isco))al  character  liave  thus  far  been 
preserved  among  us,  and  not  merely  preserved,  but  modified 
and  rendered  sti'l  niore  simple  and  acceptable  to  the  church 
and  tlie  ministry: 

During  the  war,  the  ^Methodist  Chapel  in  the  city  of  New 
York — while  the  British  troo|)S  remained — had  been  forcibly 
converted  into  a  soldiers'  barracks,  by  which  the  Society  was 
deprived  of  a  place  of  woiship,  and  the  interests  of  religion  suf- 
fered materially  from  this  and  other  causes.  Indeed  while  the 
war  lasted,  the  Methodist  Society  in  New  York  became  almost 
extinct.     For  several  years,  such  was  the  difficulty  of  holding 


UKI.KilOl'S    SIATK    OF    NKU      KNtJLAND. 


11 


conitiuniifati(;ii  with  the  city,  that  no  jji-cacihcrs  svciv  appoiiitod 
hy  thii  i^oiiferoncii :  hcnco  th(^  Society  in  N<nv  York,  though  iK^t 
fori^otten  or  lost  :,ight  of,  occiqticcl  no  prominent  place  in  the 
histo'y  of  the  church  diirini^  the  above  period,  neither  had 
any  conference  been  held  iiortli  of  Baltimore  since  the  com- 
mencement of  th<f  war;  but  in  tin;  year  1787,  l')i.shop.s  Coke 
and  Asbury  in  company,  visitcjd  ilu;  city,  and  by  tieir  preach- 
ing and  other  labors^  awakened  a  ik'W  interest  in  behalf  of  the 
cause  of  Methodism.  Tht;  Methodist  preachers  also  began  to 
extend  their  labors  to  the  north  and  east  of  New  York  city, 
and  in  1788,  several  new  circuits  were  formed  on  the  banks  of 
the  Hudson  river  and  Lake  Champlain.  Mr.  (hirrettson,  who 
had  returned  from  Nova  Scotia,  was  requested  by  l>isho[> 
Asbury  to  ])eiietrate  the  country  north  of  N(!vv  York  and  form 
as  many  new  circuits  as  possible.  To  aid  him  in  this  work, 
several  young  ami  zeaK)Us  preachers  were  plac<'d  uiah  r  his 
direction,  and  these  going  forth  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  were 
abundantly  successful  in  their  labors,  as  is  ])roved  from  the 
fact,  that  a  number  of  circuits  were  added  to  the  list  at  the  con- 
ference held  the  ensuing  year  in  New  York  city.  Among 
the;  3  new  circuits,  were  Niwburgh,  Coluujbia,  Coeyman'.s 
l*ateiit,  Schenectady,  and  Stamford,  Conn. 


SECTION  V. 

As  the  year  178J  was  tlie  one  in  wliich  Methodism  was 
introduced  into  New  England,  a  brief  account  of  the  obstacles 
to  be  overcome  in  its  introduction  may  be  interesting  to  the 
reader.  iM'om  the  earliest  settlement  of  New  England  by  the 
"pilgrim  fathers,"  Congregationalism  had  been  the  established 
form  of  religion  in  all  the  New  England  Colonies,  witli  the  ex- 
ception of  liliode  Island.  Churches  were  built,  and  ministers 
were  supported  by  law.  The  people  were  taxed  for  such  sup- 
port; nor  did  the  change  of  civil  government  during  tho  revo- 


'  'IS:' 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


1.0 


I.I 


LL|2^    12.5 
ut  Uii   122 

£   1^   12.0 


11^  III  1.4 


|M|< 

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-    6" 


W 


J^  '  Sis 


Hiotographic 

Sciences 

Ck)rporalion 


23  WfST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  USM 

(716)172-4503 


m 


^ 


\ 


\ 


Mb 


72 


EPISCOPAL    METHODISM. 


lutionary  war  eH'ect  any  luuterial  change  in  the  ecclesiastical 
affairs  of  New  England.  For  many  years  after  the  Independ- 
ence of  the  United  States,  Congregationalism  remained  the 
established  reliaion  of  several  of  the  Northern  members  of  the 
Confederacy.  Besides  the  above  facts  the  churches  were  not 
only  Calvinistio,  but  were  severely  rigid  and  tenacious  in  their 
religious  tenets,  and  peculiarly  hostile  to  the  doctrines  of  general 
redemption  and  free  grace,  as  taught  by  the  Methodists.  In 
addition  to  these  opposing  influences  which  the  Methodists  had 
to  encounter,  was  another,  still  more  formidable  than  either — 
the  low  state  of  religion  in  the  New  England  churches,  and 
the  prevalence  of  Unitarianism  among  their  members. 

In  this  state  of  things  the  Rev.  Jesse  Lee,  who  may  well  be 
called  the  apostle  of  New  England  Methodism,  was  sent  by 
Bishop  Asbury  to  proclaim  the  doctrines  of  free  salvation  to 
the  inhabitants  of  New  England.  He  immediately  rej)aired  to 
bis  new  field  of  labor,  and  his  reception  by  the  people  may  be 
learned  more  perfectly  if  we  quote  his  own  words.  He  says  in 
his  journal"  "I  arrived  in  Norwalk,  and  went  to  one  Mr. 
Rogers,  where  one  of  our  friends  had  asked  the  liberty  for  me 
to  preach.  When  I  came  Mrs.  R.  told  me  her  husband  was 
from  home,  and  was  not  willing  for  me  to  prei.ch  in  his  house. 
I  told  her  we  would  hold  meeting  in  the  road  rather  than  give 
any  uneasiness.  We  proposed  speaking  in  an  old  house  which 
stood  just  by.  but  she  was  not  willing.  I  then  spoke  to  an  old 
lady  about  speaking  in  her  orchard,  but  she  would  not  consent, 
but  said  we  would  tread  the  grass  down.  So  the  other  friend 
went  and  gave  notice  to  some  people,  and  they  soon  began  to 
collect  and  we  went  to  the  road  where  we  had  an  a])ple-tree  to 
shade  us.  When  the  woman  saw  I  was  determined  to  preach 
she  said  I  might  preach  in  the  old  house ;  but  I  told  her  I 
thought  it  would  be  better  to  remain  where  we  were.  So  I  be- 
gan on  the  side  of  the  road,  with  about  twenty  heai-ars.  After 
«nging  and  prayer,  I  preached  on  John  iii.  7,  '  Ye  must  be  born 
again.^    I  felt  happy  that  we  were  favored  with  so  comfortable 


^mm 


THB    "NEW    LIGHTS. 


73 


a  place.  M  >st  part  of  the  congregation  paid  particular  atten- 
tion to  what  I  said,  and  two  or  three  women  seemed  to  hang 
down  their  heads  as  if  they  understood  something  of  the  new 
birth.  After  preaching  I  told  the  people  that  I  intended  to  be 
with  them  again  in  two  weeks,  and  if  any  of  them  would  open 
their  houses  to  receive  me  I  should  be  glad,  and  if  they  were 
not  willing,  we  would  meet  at  the  same  pl.ice ;  some  of  them 
came  and  desired  that  I  should  meet  at  the  town-houpe  the 
next  time ;  so  I  gave  consent.  Who  knows  but  I  shall  yet 
have  a  place  in  this  town  where  T  may  lay  my  head  ?" 

From  Norwalk  he  went  the  next  day  to  Fairfield,  and  put 
up  at  a  tavern.  On  declaring  his  errand  the  women  of  the 
house  asked  him  if  he  had  a  liberal  education,  He  replied 
he  had  just  education  enough  to  carry  him  through  the  coun- 
try. After  some  difficulty  he  obtained  permission  to  preach  in 
the  court-house  to  between  thirty  and  forty  people,  among 
whom  was  his  hostess.  On  his  return  to  his  lodgings  he  pray- 
ed with  the  family,  tarried  all  night,  and  It^ft  in  the  morning 
without  charge  ;  and  received  a  hearty  invitation  to  call  again. 
After  preaching  in  several  places  he  went  to  Straifurd,  and  put 
up  as  usual  at  a  tavern,  lie  applied  to  the  pei^son  who  had 
charge  of  the  town-house  for  liberty  to  preach  therein.  The 
man  said  he  did  not  know  much  about  the  Methodists ;  they 
might  be  like  the  New  Lights.  Mr.  Lee  told  him  he  did  not 
know  much  about  the  New  Liijlits,  but  some  thoujjht  the  Meth- 
odists  preached  like  them.  "  Well,"  said  the  man,  "if  you  are 
like  them,  I  would  not  wish  to  have  anything  to  do  with  you." 
Mr.  Lee  inquired  what  objiuition  lie  had  to  the  New  Lights. 
"  Why,"  said  ho,  "  they  went  on  like  madmen  :  there  was  one 
Davenport  that  would  preach,  and  holloa,  and  beat  the  pulpit 
with  both  hands,  and  cry  out,  '  Come  away,  come  away  to  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  AVhy  don't  you  come  to  the  Lord  V  till 
he  would  foam  at  the  mouth,  and  sometimes  continued  it  till 
the  congregation  wiuld  be  praying  in  companies  about  the 
house."      "  For  my  part,"  says  Mr.  Lee,  *'  I  wished  the  like 


74 


El'ISCOTAL    METHODISM. 


work  was  among  the  people  again."     He  at  last  gained  con- 
sent to  use  the  town-house,  where  he  preached  to  a  large  con- 
gregation, and  at  the  close  of  the  service  was  hospitably  enter- 
tained for  the  night. 

Thus  tliis  pioneer  of  Methodism  went  from  place  to  place, 
and  from  State  to  State,  generally  meeting  with  a  cold  recep- 
tion at  first,  and  some  opposiiidn  from  the  ministers  of  the 
"standing  order,"  but  leaving  a  favomlde  impression  behind 
him  on  the  minds  of  the  people,  and  forming  small  Societies  in 
dirterent  places.  The  first  Methodist  Society  formed  in  Con- 
necticut was  in  Stratford,  and  consisted  of  only  three  females; 
but  this  small  number  was  the  germ  of  a  large  and  flourishing 
Society  which  remains  to  the  present  day.  On  Stratford  Cir- 
cuit also  was  erected  the  first  Methodist  church  ever  built  in 
New  England.  It  was  called  Lee's  Chapel,  in  honor  of  the 
first  Methodist  preacher  who  visited  those  parts. 

Before  the  session  of  the  ensuing  conference,  Mr.  Lee  visited 
the  city  of  Boston,  and  immediately  after  his  arrival  there,  en- 
deavored to  find  some  house  in  which  he  might  preach.  He 
conversed  with  many  on  this  subject,  but  every  expedient  to 
find  a  place  failed.  None  would  encourage  him,  none  would 
put  themselves  to  the  trouble  of  assisting  him  in  finding  a  place 
to  preach.  Ho  accordingly  gave  as  extended  a  notice  as  possi- 
ble, that  on  the  day  following, — Sabbath, — at  6  o'clock  in  the 
afternoon,  he  would  preach  on  Boston  Common.  At  the  time 
appointed,  a  large  congregation  attracted  by  the  novelty  of  the 
occasion  assembled  on  the  Common,  and  heard  the  word  with 
considerable  attention  and  solemnity.  On  a  second  visit  made 
in  a  short  time  after  the  first,  he  had  the  privilege  of  preaching 
in  a  private  house,  atul  in  a  vacant  Baptist  meeting-house. 
He  also  preached  on  the  Common  to  an  assemblage  of  five 
thousand  people. 

After  visit' ng  different  cities  and  towns  in  Connecticut,  Mas- 
sachusetts, Vermont,  and  New  Hampshire,  embracing  a  circuit 
of  hundreds  of  miles  -n  extent,  and  requiring  several  thousand 


\  . 


l(4*lfP»lf,-   ■W*'^'  "''.■''5i¥'^*fH^W'»|illi!';'-   »' 


"TWl 


SOCIETY    ORGANIZED    IN    BOSTON. 


it 


miles'  travel,  Mr.  Lee  attended  the  conference  held  in  the  city 
of  New  York  in  the  year  1790,  and  at  this  conference  was  ap- 
pointed by  Bishop  Asbury  to  the  city  of  Boston.  On  his  arri- 
val at  the  latter  city,  he  tried  in  vain  to  get  a  place  in  ^vllich 
to  preach.  He  applied  to  the  high  sheriff  and  clerk  of  the 
court  for  liberty  to  use  the  court-hoi;  e,  but  was  peremptorily 
refused.  One  of  his  friends  next  tried  to  obtain  a  school-house 
but  a  plain  and  positive  refusal  was  the  result  of  the  applica- 
tion. Disheartened  with  the  attempt  to  introduop,  Methodism 
into  Boston,  he  went  to  Lynn  and  organized  a  Society,  and 
after  spending  a  few  days  in  that  place,  returned  to  Boston 
again  for  the  purpose  of  renewing  his  efibrts  ;  but  everything 
remained  as  dark  and  forbidding  as  b<3fore,  having  no  place  to 
preach  in,  no  friendly  voice  to  welcome  the  youthful  preacher  to 
their  home,  and  he  having  but  two  shillings  in  his  pocket  to 
pay  for  his  board  and  lodging.  Mr.  Lee  under  these  circum- 
stances, instead  of  confniing  himself  to  Boston,  visited  several 
towns  and  villages  in  the  State,  and  occasionally  returning  to 
his  appointed  field  of  labor,  and  making  an  attempt  to  secure 
a  place  wherein  to  preach.  At  last  a  room  in  a  small  private 
house  in  the  north  end  of  the  city  was  obtained,  where  he  oc- 
casionally preached  to  a  small  number  of  hearers,  but  it  was 
not  until  July,  1792,  that  a  Society  was  organized  in  Boston, 
consisting  of  but  a  few  poor  members.  The  Society  thus  form- 
ed obtained  at  length  liberty  to  worship  in  a  school-house,  and 
after  having  used  it  a  few  times,  it  was  taken  from  them.  They 
next  rented  a  chamber  in  the  skirts  of  the  city,  and  finally 
undertook  to  build  a  small  meeting-house,  but  being  poor 
they  could  do  but  little  toward  paying  for  it.  Aid,  however, 
was  procured  for  them  in  Baltimore,  Philadelphia,  New  York, 
and  other  places,  and  in  1795,  the  corner-stone  of  the  first 
Methodist  Chapel  in  Boston  was  laid,  since  which  period  Meth- 
odism in  ihat  city  and  the  surrounding  country  has  increiised 
its  numbers  and  influence  so  much,  as  to  render  the  Metho- 
dist Episcopal  Church  one  of  the  most  respectable  denoraina- 

7  E 


■pp^ffv 


.V^"'   ^v 


1G 


Ei'ISCOI'AL    METHODISM. 


tions  in  New  England,  having  hundreds  of  able  ministers  and 
thousands  of  intelli";ent  members. 


SECTION  VI. 


On  the  2d  day  of  March,  1791,  the  venerable  and  apostolic 
John  Wesley,  the  father  and  founder  of  Methodism,  died  in  the 
86th  year  of  his  a<^e,  in  his  own  house,  in  the  city  of  London, 
after  having  preached  the  gospel  for  sixty-four  years.  The 
death  of  this  distinguished  man  produced  much  sorrow,  not  only 
in  Eniiland  where  he  was  best  known,  but  in  America.  The 
tidings  were  received  with  undissembled  sorrow,  especially  by 
the  ministers  and  preachers  of  the  Methodist  Episcoj)al  Church. 
A  great  man  had  fallen  in  Israel,  and  it  was  but  proper  that 
his  sons  in  the  gospel  should  weep  when  their  spiritual  father 
and  head  was  taken  away  from  them.  None  however  received 
the  afflictive  intelligence  with  greater  sorrow  than  Bishops  Coke 
and  Asbury.  The  former,  on  first  hearing  of  the  sad  event, 
began  to  make  preparations  for  his  departure  for  England, 
that  he  mitrht  min(;le  his  tears  and  sorrows  with  those  of  his 
brethren  in  his  native  land.  On  his  way  he  stopped  at  Balti- 
more and  preached  a  sermon  on  the  occasion,  and  shortly  after 
set  sail  for  Europe  where  he  arrived  in  safety  after  a  short  and 
pleasant  voyage.  Having  mentioned  the  death  of  Mr.  Wesley, 
whose  dying  words  were,  "  The  best  of  all  is,  God  is  with  us," 
and  the  departure  of  Dr.  Coke  for  England,  we  will  resume  the 
thread  of  our  narrative  in  relation  to  the  extension  of  the  work 
in  America. 

While  Mr.  Lee  was  operating  at  the  north  and  east.  Bishop 
Asbury,  Mr.  Garretson,  and  others  were  laboring  in  other  parts 
of  the  land,  entering  into  new  fields  of  labor,  organizing  many 
new  Societies,  and  forming  new  circuits.  The  work  had  spread 
80  much,  that  it  became  quite  inconvenient  for  the  preachers  to 
meet  together  in  one  general  conference ;  hence  district  confer- 


rJUST    OKNEHAL    CUNFEKENCK. 


11 


ences,  so  called,  were  held  in  different  parts  of  the  country  to 
the  number  of  thirteen  or  fourteen  in  each  year  ;  but  as  no  one. 
of  the  conferences  possessed  legislative  powers,  it  became  neces- 
sary to  ailopt  some  j)lan  by  which  the  conferences  might  be 
represented,  when  it  became  necessary  to  leijislate  on  the  af 
fairs  of  the  Connection.  Uishop  Asbury  recommended  a  coun- 
cil to  be  composed  of  the  bishops  and  presidinjj;  elders,  aiu' 
after  some  debate  amontjj  the  preachers,  the  advice  of  the  bish 
op  was  approved  of,  and  the  council  was  accordingly  formed. 
After  two  sessions,  however,  of  the  council,  it  was  found  that  fe. 
m.ijority  of  the  preachers  who  had  voted  for  it  had  changed 
their  minds  in  leference  to  its  utility  and  propriety,  and  it  cop- 
sequently  was  disorganized,  and  in  its  place  a  general  conference* 
was  called,  which  met  in  Baltimore,  in  November,  1792,  and 
was  composed  of  all  the  travelling  preachers  then  in  full  con- 
nection. At  this  conference  several  important  alterations  in 
the  economy  of  Methodism  were  proposed  by  some  of  th*- 
preachers,  and  among  those,  one  wliieh  would  limit  the  power 
of  the  bishops  in  stationing  the  preachers.  The  leading  advo- 
cate of  these  alterations  was  the  Kev.  James  ( )' Kelly,  a  popular 
and  highly  gifted  presiding  elder  from  Virginia  ;  but  as  a  large 
majority  of  the  ministers  present  objected  to  such  changes,  the 
mover  of  the  same  telt  grieved,  and  withdrew  from  the  church, 
and  having  many  friends  in  Virginia,  he  succeeded  in  inducing 
many  to  follow  his  example,  and  with  those  seceders  he  organ- 
ized during  the  ne.xt  year  a  church  with  the  title  of  liepublicaa 
Methodists,  which  however  soon  became  merged  in  the  Uiiitv- 
rir.ii  Baptist,  or  Christian  denomination,  and  thus  lost  its  iden- 
tity, while  the  leader  of  the  secession  himself,  at  last  lost  his  in- 
fluence, and  died  in  obscurity. 

At  the  above  conference  the  presiding  elder''s  office  was  es- 
tablished, for  although  the  bishops  had  previously  appointed  pre- 
sidiiiiT  elders,  it  had  been  done  without  the  action  of  the  confercn- 
ces,  and  as  some  had  objected  to  the  usage  of  the  bishops  in  this 
respect,  a  majority  now  fully  sanctioned  their  doings,  and  for- 


' 


i^^ 


7t 


Kf'lSOOI'AL    MKTJlODiSM. 


inally  authorize'  tlieir  appointment  in  the  futuro.  Various  otlier 
im|»orta:it  rules  were  passed,  and  after  a  session  of  some  days, 
tlie  conference  adjourned,  having  resolved  to  have  another  Gen- 
eral Conference  in  four  years  from  that  time. 

IJetween  the  sessions  of  the  (reneral  Conferences  of  1792-6, 
the  Methodist  preaclrers  continued  in  their  work  of  saving  souls 
and  forming  Societies,  gradually  extending  the  borders  of  the 
I'hureh,  and  embracing  within  its  fold  entire  states  and  the  in- 
habited portions  of  the  adjoining  territories.  A  considerable 
foothold  was  obtained  in  Rhode  Island,  where  the  first  Methodist 
sermon  had  been  preached  in  Charlestown  in  1789.  In  1794, 
a  church  was  erected  in  Warren,  and  was  opened  for  worship 
on  the  24th  day  of  September  of  that  year.  A  Society  was 
also  formed  in  Provincetown  in  1795,  and  soon  after,  an 
attempt  was  made  to  build  a  church.  Tlio  timber  was  pro- 
cured at  a  distance  and  brought  to  tlie  place  by  water.  In  the 
meantime,  persecution  began  to  rage,  and  a  collection  of  those 
hostile  to  the  Methodists  met  in  the  night,  and  taking  the  most 
of  the  timber  to  the  bottom  of  a  large  hill,  they  cut  it  to 
pieces  and  made  a  pen  oi"  -t.  They  then  j^rocured  a  sailor's  old 
hat,  jacket  and  trowsers,  and  stuffing  them  so  as  to  represent  a 
man,  they  fastened  the  effigy  on  the  top  of  the  pen,  and  then 
tarred  and  feathered  it  These  persecutions,  however,  did  not 
discourage  the  members,  but  laying  their  plans  anew,  they  pro- 
cured more  timber  and  soon  built  themselves  a  comfortable 
house  of  worshij). 

The  first  Methodist  church  in  Maine  was  erected  in  the  town 
of  lieadtield  in  1794-5.  The  first  Society  formed  in  New 
Hampshire  was  in  the  town  of  Chesterfield  in  l795,  and  the 
first  circuit  formed  in  Vermont  was  in  1790,  and  was  called 
Vershire  circuit ;  and  for  the  first  time  in  the  history  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  Societies  were  found  to  exist  in  all 
the  United  States, 

At  the  session  of  the  General  Conference  of  1796,  tliere 
were  one  hundred  and  twenty  ministers   present.     At   this 


'    ''"71 


CAMr-MKKTINOS. 


70 


ooiift'rence  it  was  ajjrat'd  that  the  annual  oonfuionoes,  which 
iiad  previously  been  called  district  conferences,  should  l)e 
reduced  to  six  in  numbt  r,  and  be  called  yearly  conferences,  as 
follows  :  New  Enj^land,  ]'hilad('li)hia,  lialtiinore,  Vir(i;inia,  South 
C^aroiina,  and  the  Western  Yearly  (.'onferences.  The  Chartered 
Fund  was  also  instituted,  and  after  introdueiuii  a  few  chani;-es 
ill  the  discipline,  the  conference  adjourned  to  meet  in  the 
year  1800. 

At  the  (General  Conference  of  18U0,  IVishops  Coke  and  As- 
bury  presided,  as  they  had  done  at  the  two  previous  ones  :  but 
Dr.  Coke  havinn^  received  a  very  urii>-ent  call  from  the  British 
Conference  to  labor  more  especially  for  the  beiierit  of  the  Wes- 
leyan  Missions  in  the  West  Indies,  and  in  Ireland,  the  General 
Conference  with  some  regret  consented  to  jjive  up  the  doctor 
for  a  short  time,  and  in  reply  to  the  British  Conference,  state, 
that  in  compliance  with  their  request,  "  We  have  lent  the 
doctor  to  vou  for  a  season,  to  return  to  us  as  soon  as  he  con- 
veniently  can,  but  at  the  farthest  by  the  meeting  of  the  next 
General  Conference."  To  supply  the  doctor's  lack  of  service, 
Richard  Whatcoat — who  accompanied  Doctor  Coke  in  his  first 
visit  to  America,  and  who  had  been  ordained  a  deacon  and  an 
elder  by  Mr.  Wesley  in  1784 — was  elected  and  ordained  a 
bishop  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

It  was  about  this  period  that  camp-meetings  first  began  to 
be  held.  Although  at  present  mostly  confined  to  the  Method- 
ists, they  originated  among  the  Presuyterians  and  Methodists 
under  the  lal>ors  of  two  brothers  by  the  name  of  M'Gee,  the 
one  being  a  Presbyterian  and  the  other  a  Methodist  minister. 
In  the  year  1799,  these  two  brothers  set  off  on  a  tour  from 
Tennessee  toward  the  state  of  Ohio.  On  their  way  they  stopped 
at  a  settlement  on  the  Red  River  to  attend  a  sacramental  occa- 
sion in  a  Presbyterian  congregation.  The  Methodist  brother 
was  invited  to  preach  by  the  pastor  of  the  church.  He  con- 
sented, and  was  followed  by  his  Presbyterian  brother,  ai.d  thev 
by  another  Presbyterian  minister.     During  the  preaching  of 


w^i^mmm' 


80 


KI'IKt'dl'AI.    METIIODIKM. 


\ 


tlie  latter,  n  wotu.ih  in  the  coiigrocfation  shoutod  nlourl  the 
jtraisos  of  (Jod.  'I'liis  shoutiiij^  otloridod  the  pastor  and  the 
minister  who  was  proachinij  wlion  it  tooii  jihice,  so  that  they  and 
another  minister  present  left  the  honse,  hut  the  two  hrolhers  re- 
mained, and  such  wore  the  continued  manifestations  of  the  power 
of  (Jod,  that  the  entire  conijjrei^ation  was  moved  hy  the  mighty 
iiivisihie  impulse.  William  M'CJoe,  the  1'resbyterian,  felt  suoh 
a  shock  of  divine  power,  that  not  knowing  what  he  (Hd,  he  left 
liis  seat  and  sat  down  on  the  floor,  while  John  his  brotiier  sat 
trembling  under  a  consciousness  of  the  divine  presence.  Al- 
though expected  to  preach  again,  h(!  arose,  and  told  tlie  people 
that  his  feelings  would  not  allow  him  to  do  so,  but  exhorted 
them  to  surrender  their  hearts  to  the  Lord.  Such  was  the 
elK'ct  of  this  meeting,  that  the  j)eople  came  in  crowds  from  the 
surrounding  country  to  see  and  hear  for  themselves,  the  won- 
derful works  of  (iod.  lint  as  no  house  could  contain  the  mul- 
titude, and  the  people  wished  to  remain  for  several  days,  and 
accommodations  for  board,  lodging,  <fec.,  could  not  be  readily 
obtained,  they  saw  the  jtropriety  of  bringing  provisions  and 
bedding;  and  some  built  temporary  huts  or  tents,  jis  places  of 
shelter ;  and  thus  we  see  the  beginning  of  camp-meetings — a 
j)recious  means  of  grace  which  Inis  been  blessed  to  the  conver- 
sion of  tens  of  thousands  of  sinners  and  the  sanctification  of 
hundreds  of  believers. 

The  results  of  this  first  camp-meeting  casually  convened, 
induced  the  ministers  above  named  to  appoint  another,  and  still 
another  in  different  parts  of  the  country  ;  at  each  of  which,  the 
power  of  (lod  was  displayed  in  the  most  wonderful  manner,  and 
it  has  been  stated  by  an  eye  and  ear  witness  of  the  scenes 
alluded  to,  that  the  ^  eople  under  the  power  of  the  Word,  fell 
like  corn  before  a  storm  of  wind  ;  and  what  added  greatly  to 
the  interest  of  such  meetings,  was  the  spirit  of  union  and 
brotherly  love  exhibited  by  ministers  and  members  of  different 
denominations,  for  each  other.  Here  the  Presbj  terian,  the 
Methodist,  the  Baptist,  all  cooperated  heartily  in  ihe  work  of 


TT^ 


^^^mm 


KFFKC'IK    t>K    CAMI'-MKETINOS. 


81 


God ;  and  ns  tliey  thus  cooperat'd,  the  rt'vival  flame  roso 
liigher  and  highiT,  and  spread  wider  and  \vid<T,  and  such  was 
tho  excitonient  produced  by  these  nieetini^s,  that  in  Kentucky, 
from  three  to  twenty  tliousand  were  frequently  in  attendance, 
and  although  no  doubt  many  went  merely  from  motives 
of  curiosity,  and  others  to  mock  and  sneer,  yet  many  at- 
tetided  with  a  sincere  desire  to  be  benefited,  and  fre(juently, 
those  who  went  to  scoti",  returned  to  pray.  An  amusing,  yet 
instructive  incident  of  this  kind  occurred  at  one  of  these 
meetings,  held  we  believe  in  Kentucky.  A  gentleman  and  lady 
of  note  in  the  fashionable  world,  attended  the  Caneridge  camp- 
meeting,  and  while  they  were  on  their  way  amusing  themselves 
at  the  expense  of  the  deluded  worshippers — as  they  thouglit 
tbem  to  be — and  while  they  saw,  in  t/ieir  imagination,  numbers 
falling  to  the  ground  all  around  them,  they,  in  a  moment  of 
hilarity  and  glee,  made  a  sportive  agreement  that  if  either  of 
them  should  fall  under  the  power,  the  other  should  by  no 
means  forsake  the  fallen  one.  They  at  length  arrived  on  the 
ground,  but  had  not  been  present  long,  before  the  lady  fell 
under  the  word.  The  gentleman,  frightened  at  the  sight  of 
his  fallen  companion,  and  regardless  of  his  agreement,  and 
afraid  probably  that  a  similar  fate  awaited  him,  fled  with  the 
utm{>st  precipitancy,  but  lie  had  not  proceeded  far,  before  he 
sha'ed  the  fate  he  so  much  dreaded,  wjis  prostrated  upon  the 
earth,  and  was  soon  surrounded  by  a  praying  circle  of  friends. 
Such  large  meetings,  composed  as  they  were  of  all  classes 
in  society,  could  not  be  expected  to  pass  off  without  great  ir- 
regularity of  conduct  on  the  part  of  some,  and  of  violent 
opposition  on  the  part  of  others.  Many  exaggerated  statements 
were  made  in  refen>nce  to  the  spiritual  exercises  at  such  meet- 
ings, and  many  of  the  cold-hearted  ministers,  wlio  were  opposers 
of  the  revival,  were  among  the  most  prominent  enemies  of 
camp-meetings,  but  in  spite  of  the  opposition  of  the  professedly 
good,  and  the  hostility  of  the  openly  wicked,  God  sanctioned 
•.hese  feasts  of  tabernacles ;  and  such  has  been  their  acknowi- 


«»  I 


89 


KI'ISCdl'AI.    MKTIIOUISM. 


edged  utility  ainonji;  tin*  Method ists,  that  while  the  Presbyle- 
riaiis  have  loiij;  since  (hscardcd  tlmin,  as  utisiiitcd  to  their  tnode 
of  operation  for  the  advaiieemeiit  of  reliyjion,  the  fornuM"  liavo 
conli'-ued  them  in  most  parts  of  the  country  from  year  to  year, 
ar.l  at  no  forin-r  time  have  camp-meotin^s  been  more  freipient, 
better  attendi-d,  or  followed  by  more  benelicial  results  than  at 
the  present  time. 

About  this  time  also,  M(!thodism  beijan  to  take  deep  root 
in  the  provinces  of  Upper  and  Lower  Canada,  where  it  had 
before  been  introduced  by  several  zealous  |»reachers  of  the 
Methodist  Kpiseopal  Church,  and  other  Methodists  from  Kni^- 
land  ;  but  as  the  author  intends  to  speak  of  Canadian  Methodism 
in  a  separate  section  of  this  work,  ho  will  in  this  place  only 
state,  that  at  the  period  of  which  we  are  now  tn-ating:,  regular 
circuits  were  in  existence  in  different  parts  of  these  provinces. 
(S.'e  Section  XII.) 

In  1804,  the  fourth  regular  General  Co^f.^.^ice  assembled 
in  the  city  of  Baltimore,  it  was  compos.d  of  the  three  bishops. 
Coke,  Asbury,  and  VVhatcoat,  as  presf.lents,  and  one  hundred 
and  twelve  members.  Among  the  irost  important  acts  of  this 
conference  was  one  establishing  the  liook  Concern  in  the  city 
of  New  York,  there  having  previously  been  published  a  few 
Methodist  books  in  riiiladelphia,  at  which  place  the  Book 
Cwceru  was  first  located,  but  on  a  s  nail  scale.  At  this  con- 
ference also,  the  bounds  of  the  sever.'. I  yearly  conferences  were 
fixed  and  printed  in  the  Book  of  Discipline.  The  British 
Conference  having  again  requested  the  lab(jrs  of  Dr.  Coke  in 
behaif  of  their  missions,  he  was  permitted  to  go  under  the 
same  restrictions  as  before  imposed  upon  him — that  he  should 
return  by  the  next  General  Conference. 

As  nothing  very  extraordinary  transpired  in  tlie  interim  be- 
tween this  and  the  succeeding  General  Conference  of  1808,  we 
pass  to  notice  the  proceedings  of  the  latter,  so  far  as  matters 
of  importance  are  concerned. 

The  fifth  General  Conference  assembled  in  the  city  of  Balti 


TIIK    (iKNKSKK    (ON  FEIiKNTK    FOUMKD. 


88 


more,  Bishop  A^lmry  In-iiit^  tin*  only  Ijisliop  prt'scnt.  Bislmp 
Wliatcoat  had  dicil  two  ycais  pitvioiisly,  in  thi-  71st  yi-ar  of 
his  n\To,  and  Hishop  Coke,  lor  certain  roasons,  liad  not  fodtid  it 
eonvonicnt  to  Icavn  his  work  in  Kiiropo  for  the  purpose  of  at- 
tending this  conference.  He,  however,  wrote  to  the  confereiico 
expressing  his  wilhngness  to  cojne  over  and  labor,  and  hvo  and 
die  witli  them,  hut  that  unless  liis  services  were  ncrensaiy  to  the 
church  in  America,  he  preferred  remaining  where  he  thought 
they  were  more  needed,  and  where  he  could  render  himself 
more  useful.  In  accordaneti  with  these  wishes,  the  conference 
adopted  resolutions  commendatory  of  their  absent  bishop,  and 
consenting  to  his  remaining  in  Europe  until  called  to  America 
by  the  General  Conference  ;  or  all  the  annual  conferences.  At 
this  conference  also,  the  Rev.  Wm,  M'Kendree  was  elected  and 
consecrated  a  bishop  ;  and  provision  was  made  for  a  delegated 
General  Conference,  to  be  composed  of  one  delegate  for  every 
five  members  of  an  annual  conference.  It  was  also  resolved, 
that  the  General  Conft-rence  should  meet  on  the  first  tlay  of 
May,  1812,  and  thetic(!forward  on  the  first  of  May,  once  in  four 
years  perpetually.  Restrictive  rules  were  also  adopted,  which 
ha"e  remained  the  same  as  originally  adopted  till  the  present 
time,  excepting  the  one  which  relates  to  the  ratio  of  representa- 
tion. As  the  constitution  and  powers  of  the  General  Confer- 
ence will  be  referred  to  in  a  proper  {)lace,  it  will  be  unnecessary 
to  enlarge  upon  the  same  in  this  section. 

The  bishops  at  this  conference  were  authorized — if  they 
deemed  it  expedient  to  do  so — to  organize  another  annual  con- 
ference, in  addition  to  the  seven  already  organized  by  the  Gene- 
ral Conference.  Accordingly,  in  1810,  the  Geneset;  Conference 
wsis  formed,  embracing  within  its  bounds  the  whole  of  Central 
and  Western  New  York,  and  the  province  of  Upper  Canada, 
which    province    Bishop   Asburv   visited    in    tin;    year   1811. 


Crossing  from  the  Indian  village  of  St.  liegis  to  Cornwall  in 
Canada,  the  bishop,  after  having  been 


States  since  the  independence  of  the 


citizen  of  the  United 
same,  and  having  lived 


S4 


KPISOOI'AL    METIIOUISM. 


I    f 


t 


and  preached  in  the  colonies  for  a  few  years  prior  thereto, 
amounting  in  all  to  forty  years,  at  length  sets  foot  upon  a  soil 
protected  by  the  flag  of  his  native  country,  and  it  is  no  wonder 
that  under  such  circumstances  the  old  man  should  have 
"  stranire  feelinrrs  come  over  hiiii." 

The  bishop  proceeded  up  the  province  along  the  banks  of 
the  St.  Lawrence,  and  preached  in  most  of  the  towns  between 
Cornwall  and  Kingston.  After  preaching  in  the  latter  place, 
he  re-crossed  the  river,  or  lake,  to  Sackett's  Harbor,  and  soon 
after,  in  conjunction  with  Bishop  M'Kendree,  he  attended  the 
session  of  the  Genesee  Conference,  which  was  held  in  Paris, 
Oneida  County,  New  York,  and  on  its  adjournment.,  the  bish- 
ops returned  again  to  their  travels  through  the  Connection, 
holding  the  conferences  in  Kentucky,  and  in  Tennessee,  and 
also  in  South  Carolina. 


SECTION  VII. 


The  Hrst  delegated  General  Conference  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  assembled  in  the  city  of  New  York  on  the 
6rst  of  May,  1812.  Bishops  Asbury  and  M'Kendree  were 
present,  and  presided  alternately.  There  were  ninety  delegates 
in  attendance.  No  bishop  was  elected  at  this  conference,  but 
several  important  rules  in  lelation  to  local  preachers  were 
adopted,  as  also  resolutions  in  regard  to  raising  money  for  mis- 
sions, tlie  publication  of  a  monthly  periodical,  itc.  &c.,  and  after 
a  session  of  three  weeks,  the  conference  closed  its  labors ;  and 
soon  after  the  adjournment,  the  United  States  declared  war 
against  Great  Britain.  This  unhappy  event  produced  pernicious 
effects  upon  the  interests  of  true  religion  in  the  United  States, 
and  brought  the  Methodists  in  the  States  and  in  the  Canadas 
into  an  unfriendly  relation,  and  frequently  into  actual  collisions 
with  each  other.  In  consequence  of  this  state  of  things,  the 
American  preachers  appointed  this  year  to  Canada,  either  ob- 


TUB    "UEt'OrJM'-:!)    METHODrST    CHUKCH. 


85 


tallied  permission  to  remain  in  tlio  States,  or  having  gone  there, 
returned  home.  The  Canadian  preachei-s,  who  of  course  re- 
mained at  their  posts  in  Canada,  were  also  prevented  from  at 
tending  the  sessions  of  the  Genesee  Conference,  to  which  they 
belonj^ed,  and  were  thus  left  to  take  care  of  themselves  and 
their  flock  in  the  best  way  they  could,  during  the  war. 

In  the  year  1813,  a  small  secession  from  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church  took  place  in  Vermont,  which  resulted  in  the  or- 
ganization of  the  "  Reformed  Methodist  Church."  The  origi- 
nator of  this  secession  was  the  Kev.  IMlny  Brett,  a  member  of 
the  New  England  Conference,  who  this  year  located,  and  suc- 
ceeded in  luring  from  the  church  several  local  preachers,  in  the 
vicinity  of  Cape  Cod.  From  thence  he  proceeded  to  Vermont, 
and  succeeded,  through  the  assistance  of  Elijah  Bailey,  a  locaj 
preacher  in  Keadsboro',  in  drawing  oflf  a  number  of  Societies  in 
that  town  and  vicinity,  and  after  having  called  a  general  con- 
vention of  all  the  disaffected  ones,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Bailey  was 
chosen  President,  the  Reformed  MethoilisLs  became  a  distinct 
bod}',  and  Mr.  Bailey  became  the  apostle  of  the  new  movement. 
Many  local  preachers  and  exhorters  having  joined  them,  they 
at  one  period  in  their  history  gave  some  promise  of  becoming 
quite  a  respectable  denomination,  having  formed  circuits  in  dif- 
ferent parts  of  Vermont,  New  York,  and  Canada,  but  like  ^ome 
other  secessionists,  they  finally  became  merged  in  other  bodies 
distinct  from  the  above,  so  that  at  present  the  Reformed  Meth- 
odists liave  scarcely  an  existence  in  any  part  of  the  United 
States  or  Canada,  although  at  the  time  of  their  greatest  pros- 
perity, they  had  live  annual  conferences,  nearly  a  hundred 
preachers,  and  several  thousand  members. 

In  the  year  1814,  the  sad  tidings  reached  the  shores  of  Eu- 
rope and  America,  that  Bishop  Coke  had  departed  this  life. 
After  having  been  more  fully  released  from  his  engagements  to 
the  American  Connection,  Dr.  Coke  gave  his  especial  attention 
to  the  cause  of  missions  in  the  British  Connection,  of  which 
tnissioas  he  had  the  superintendence.     He  at  length  resolved 


<v 


80 


KPIsrOPAI.    MF.TF?01)TfiM. 


to  establisli  a  mission  in  lirilisli  India,  and  in  company  with 
seven  others,  whom  he  had  selected  as  assistants,  he  left  Eiighuid 
on  the  first  of  January.  After  being  absent  about  four  months, 
and  as  the  vessel  which  conveyed  him  nearod  the  port  of  desti- 
nation, the  doctor,  wliile  in  his  berth,  was  seized  with  a  fit  of 
apoplexy,  and  on  opening  the  door  of  his  cabin  in  the  morning, 
was  found  dead  upon  the  floor.  His  body  was  consigned  to 
the  bosom  of  the  great  deep,  with  appropriate  religious  services 
by  his  surviving  colleagues.  Thus  ended  the  life  and  labors  of 
Bishop  Coke,  who,  although  having  some  enemies  while  he 
lived,  had  many  warm  friends,  and  who  was  himself  the  true 
friend  of  Methodism,  in  America,  and  in  his  native  land, — a 
man  whose  life  was  entirely  spent  in  the  service  of  the  church 
of  God,  and  who,  no  doubt,  exchanged  the  trials  of  this  life  for 
the  inheritance  of  the  sanctified  in  heaven. 

Before  the  session  of  the  ne.xt  General  Conference,  a  still 
greater  calamity  than  the  ])receding  one  befell  the  Methodise 
Episcopal  Church.  This  was  nothing  less  than  the  death  of 
the  apostle  of  Methodism  in  America — Bishop  Asbury — which 
occurred  on  the  31st  of  March,  1810,  near  Fredericksburg,  in 
Virginia — aged  seventy  years.  His  health,  for  several  yeai-s, 
had  been  declining,  in  consequence  of  his  toiistant  exposure  to 
heat  and  cold,  and  all  the  hardships  and  vieifssitudes  of  an  itin- 
erant life.  Ills  remains  were  finally  deposited  under  the  pul[)it 
in  a  vault,  in  the  Eutnv-street  church,  Baltimore.  Thus  per- 
ished the  mortal  exist  nee  of  a  man,  a  Christian,  a  Christian 
minister,  and  a  truly  aposlolic  bishop,  who,  during  the  forty-five 
years  of  his  ministry  in  America,  preached,  probably,  not  far 
from  twenty  thousand  sermons,  and  travelled  not  less  than  two 
liundred  and  seventy  thousand  miles — a  distance  equal  to  more 
than  ten  times  the  circumference  of  the  earth  ! 

In  the-  year  1815,  another  secession  from  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church  took  place  in  Philadelphia,  the  subjects  of  it  be- 
ing colored  people.  At  an  early  period  in  the  history  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  its  ministers  had  taken  a  lively 


<v- 


SECE.SSIOX    OF    COLORKD    MKMRKKS. 


87 


interest  in  the  spiritual  welfare  of  tlie  colored  people,  whether 
bond  or  free.  Under  the  preaching  of  these  ministers,  many 
hundreds  and  thousands  of  the  African  race  were  converted  to 
God,  and  very  generally  gave  good  evidence  of  such  conversion, 
by  an  upright  course  of  conduct.  Of  those  tlius  converted, 
a  considerable  number,  possessing  both  gifts  and  grace,  were 
licensed  to  exhort  and  j)reach,  and  a  few  had  been  ordnined  to 
the  offices  of  deacon  and  elder.  Among  these  last  was  Rich- 
ard Allen,  a  local  preacher  of  Philadelphia,  who  had  once  been 
a  slave,  but  had  procured  his  freedom,  ami  had  acquired  wealth 
and  influence  among  his  colored  friends.  By  the  aid  of  the 
whites,  the  colored  Methodists  succeeded  in  building  a  neat  and 
commodious  church,  and  were  regularly  recognized  as  a  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church,  and  were  placed  undt-r  the  pastoral 
charge  of  a  white  minister,  stationed  by  the  ])residing  Bishop 
of  the  Philadelphia  Conference.  For  some  years  everything 
went  on  prosperously  and  harmoniously  between  the  white  and 
colored  Methodists,  but  at  length  mutual  distrust  aiid  dissatis- 
faction succeeded,  which  resulted  in  the  distinct  organization  of 
the  "  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,"  which  has  contin- 
ued to  exist  with  more  or  less  success  till  the  present  time. 
There  were  about  one  thousand  persons  who  seceded  as  above, 
and  since  that  period  they  have  increased  to  some  fifteen  or 
twenty  thousand  memberc,  having  congregations  and  churches 
in  nearly  all  the  cities  and  large  towns  of  the  free  States  where 
tlie  colored  people  are  numerous. 

In  the  year  1816,  the  second  Delegated  General  Conference 
assembled  in  the  city  of  Baltimore,  Bishop  M'Kendree,  the  only 
siu'viving  bishop  of  the  church,  presiding.  After  being  i.7  ses- 
sion a  few  days,  the  Episcopacy  was  strengthened  by  the  elec- 
tion and  consecration  to  the  office  of  bishop  of  the  Revs.  Enoch 
(Teorjje,  and  Robert  R.  Roberts  ;  and  after  a  harmoniour,  ses- 
sion  of  twenty-four  days,  the  conference  adjourned.  Several 
alterations  of  the  Discipline  were  adopted  at  this  conference,  but 
as  such  alterations,  and  the  reasons  assigned  for  their  adoption, 


88 


EPISCOPAL    MKTIl  *PI.SM. 


would  occupy  too  much  space  in  the  body  of  this  work,  we  are 
jbhi^t'd  to  \)ms  them  over  without  further  notice. 

In  tlie  year  1818,  tlie  Methodist  Magazine  was  resuscitated, 
after  having  lain  dormant  for  a  number  of  years.  Joshua  Soule 
and  Thomas  Mason,  being  the  Book  Agents,  were  the  publish- 
ers and  editors  of  the  same.  The  year  1819  gave  birth  to  the 
Missionary  Society  of  the  Methodist  Episcoj)al  Church.  Rev. 
Dr.  Bangs  had  the  honor  of  having  presided  at  the  meeting  in 
the  citv  of  Xew  York  when  such  Society  was  first  organized. 
The  bishops  were  subsequently  elected  as  chief  officers  of  the 
Society,  Dr.  Bangs  being  one  of  the  Vice  Presidents. 

During  this  latter  year,  also,  there  was  a  large  secession  of 
colored  members  from  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  the 
cit"  of  New  York.  This  secession  embraced  fourteen  colored 
local  [)reachers,  and  nine  hundred  and  twenty-nine  members, 
including  many  Class  Leaders,  Stewards,  and  Exhorters.  The 
principal  cause  of  such  secession  wa,  the  refusal  on  the  part 
of  the  whites  to  employ  colored  men  as  travelling  preachers. 
They  have  always  retained,  however,  a  degree  of  love  and  attec- 
tion  for  the  parent  Church,  which  speaks  well  for  their  sincerity 
and  [)iety. 

SECTION  VIII. 


In  1820,  the  General  Conference  again  met  in  Baltimore, 
\  Bishops  M'Kendree,  George,  aiid  Roberts,  being  the  presidents 
thereof.  As  difficulties  had  existed  for  some  time  in  relatioti  to 
the  Societies  in  Ui)per  and  Lower  Canada,  there  being  English 
and  American  preachers  ap])ointed  to  both  provinces  by  their 
respective  conferences,  and  as  these  preachers  sometimes  came 
into  collision  with  each  other  in  their  work,  this  General  Con- 
ference appoi!ited  Rev.  John  Emory  a  delegate  to  attend  the 
ensuing  session  of  the  British  Conference  and  adjust  all  dif- 
ficulties in  relation  to  these  matters.  Accordingly  at  the 
proper  time,  Mr.  Emory  went  to  England,  and  happily  sue- 


t^mmm^- 


""■"■f^iii 


TIIK    DISTRICT    CONFEUKNCK. 


89 


ceeded  in  brincjinnr  matters  to  a  successful  issue.  The  result  of 
these  neirotiations  was,  that  the  lower  province  of  Canada  was 
to  be  in  future  left  to  the  care  of  the  English  Conference,  while 
the  uj)per  province  was  to  be  consigned  to  the  exclusive  care 
of  the  American  Churoli.  These  measures  were  cordially  as- 
sented to  by  the  ])reaohors  of  the  M(ithodist  Episcopal  Church, 
and  the  ministers  apjiointed  to  chur"hes  or  circuits  in  Lower 
Ciinada  were  shortly  after  withdrawn. 

This  General  Conference  also  created  a  District  Conference 
for  the  benefit  of  the  local  preachers  in  each  district.  The  ob- 
ject of  creating  such  Conference  was  to  place  all  matters  re- 
lating to  them  as  a  body  as  much  as  possible  under  their  own 
jurisdiction  and  control.  These  meetings,  however,  did  not 
answer  the  purposes  for  which  they  were  intended,  and  after  a 
few  years  a  succeeding  General  Conference  repealed  the  clause 
by  which  they  were  created. 

Provision  wjis  also  made  at  the  conference  of  1820,  for  the 
establishment  of  a  separate  branch  of  the  Book  Concern  to  be 
located  at  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  and  the  Rev.  Martin  Kuter  was 
appointed  to  the  agency  of  the  same ;  while  Rev.  Nathan 
Bangs  and  'W  Mason  were  appointed  agents  of  the  parent  es- 
tablishment in  New  York. 

The  year  1820  gave  birth  to  another  secession  in  the  city  of 
New  York,  of  about  three  hundred  members  of  the  Church, 
headed  by  Rev.  Wm.  M.  Stilwell,  a  travelling  preacher  in  the 
New  York  Conference,  at  that  time  stationed  in  the  city.  The 
difficulty  originated  in  1817,  and  grew  out  of  the  rebuilding  of 
John-street  church,  and  involved  various  questions  of  adminis- 
tration and  other  matters,  which  ended  in  the  formation  of  an 
independent  congregation.  This  new  sect,  however,  did  not 
flourish,  but  soon  began  to  dwindle  away,  many  of  the  mem- 
bers who  had  seceded  seeking  an  asylum  again  in  the  old 
church  which  they  had  too  hastily  left. 

The  necessity  of  providing  the  means  of  education  for  the 
youth  of  our  church  began  to  be  seriously  felt  throughout  the 


/ 


90 


Kl'ISCOPAL    MKTIIODISM. 


Comioction,  and  during  the  year  1820,  and  a  few  succeeding 
years  various  academic  institutions  were  opened  in  New  York 
and  New  England,  for  the  education  of  the  children  of  Method- 
ist mend)ers.  Tn.4itutions  of  a  like  character,  and  of  a  higher 
grade,  have  since  been  very  gcniM-ally  founded  in  every  part  of 
the  widely-extended  field  of  Metiiodism. 

At  the  CJenerai  Conference  of  1824,  the  Revs.  Joshua  Soule 
and  Elijah  lledding  were  duly  elected  and  consecrated  bisliops 
of  the  iMethodist  Episcopal  Church.  Such  had  been  the  ex- 
tension of  the  work  and  continued  i)rosjierity  of  the  church, 
that  two  bishops  in  addition  to  the  former  three  were  thought 
to  be  necessary,  and  the  above  ministers  were  selected  for  this 
imj)ortant  office.  At  this  conference  also  the  preachers  labor- 
ing in  U[)per  Canada  were,  at  their  own  request,  formed  into 
an  annual  conference  by  themselves.  They  had,  indeed,  asked 
to  be  formed  into  an  independent  organization,  with  authority 
to  elect  their  own  bishops  :  but  the  General  Conference  con- 
ceiving that  it  had  not  the  power  to  sever  tlie  connection, 
merely  allowed  them  a  separate  Conference,  which  was  after- 
wards presided  over  by  the  bishops  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Churcli,  as  long  as  the  connection  continued  to  exist. 

During  the  interval  between  this  and  the  succeeding  Gene- 
ral Conference,  several  important  enterprises  were  commenced  ; 
one,  the  founding  of  Madison  College  in  Uniontown,  Pennsyl- 
vania, under  the  presidency  of  Rev.  Henry  V>.  B;i«com  ;  another 
the  establishment  of  the  Christian  Advocate,  a  weekly  paper,  in 
the  city  of  New  York.  The  first  number  of  this  well-known 
and  extensively  circulated  jieriudiooal  was  issued  on  the  9th  of 
Sei)teml)er,  1820.  In  1827  the  Sunday  School  Union  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was  organi/.ed  in  New  York, 
which  from  th;it  period  has  been  slowly  and  gradually  gaining 
inlluence  and  strength,  especially  under  its  recent  organization. 

The  General  Conference  of  1 828,  met  in  the  city  of  Pittsburgh, 
the  five  bishops  being  present  and  presiding  alternately. 
Among  the  more  im[)ortant  acts  of  this  conference  was  one 


mm 


THE    QUESTION    OF    LAV    DELEGATION. 


91 


wl)icli,  }  ic'Uling  to  the  importunities  of  tlie  brethren  in  Canada, 
dissolved  the  ct>ini)act  existing  between  the  Canada  Conference 
and  the  (General  Conference  in  the  United  States;  and  authorized 
one  of  tlie  bishops  to  attend  the  Canada  Conference  in  its  inde- 
pendent capacity,  and  ordain  as  bisliop  the  person  who  might 
be  elected  by  the  Canada  Conferenoe  to  that  office. 

A  great  j)art  of  the  session  of  this  conference  was  occupied 
with  the  reception  and  reading  of  petitions,  and  in  discussing 
matters  referred  to  in  the  same.  Those  petitions  were  sent  u»> 
to  the  conference  from  a  convention  of  private  members  and 
local  preachers,  who  assembled  in  November,  1827,  in  Balti- 
more. The  great  object  sought  to  be  obtained  by  these  and 
other  petitioners  was  a  representation  of  the  local  preachers 
and  lay  members  in  the  councils  of  the  church.  For  a  num- 
ber of  years,  the  question  of  lay  delegation  had  been  discussed 
in  conventions,  in  conferences,  in  periodicals,  and  in  pamphlets, 
by  those  who  t;>ok  an  interest  in  the  matter  ;  but  as  the  erreat 
body  of  the  preachers  and  people  were  decidedly  opposed  to 
such  innovations,  the  Ceneral  Conference  had  not  thought  it 
proper  to  take  the  desired  action.  This  refusal  of  the  General 
Conference  to  grant  the  prayer  of  the  members  of  the  "  Union 
Societies,"  as  the  petitioners  were  generally  called,  produced 
great  dissatisfaction  among  them.  From  arguments  and  re- 
quests, they  proceeded  to  harsher  measures  to  accomplish  their 
ends  ;  and  it  was  at  length  found  necessary  by  the  authorities  of 
the  church  in  Haltimore  where  the  disaffected  mostly  belonged, 
to  call  soine  of  the  leading  ones  among  them  to  an  account  for 
disturbing  the  peace  of  the  Societies.  The  trial  of  these  per- 
sons resulted  in  their  expulsion  from  the  Methodist  Ej)iscopal 
Church,  and  their  subsequent  organization  under  the  title  of 
"  Associated  Methodist  Reformers." 

x\s  these  matters  all  passed  in  review  of  this  General  Con- 
ference v>hile  listening  to  the  petitions  and  remonstrances  of 
the  expelled  and  disaffected  preachers,  and  the  discussion  eli- 
cited thereby,  a  disposition  on  the  part  of  the  members  of 


02 


EPISCOl'AI.    MKTHODISM. 


tlic  confcj^Mice  was  tnaiiifosted  to  forgive  past  offences  by 
authorizing  proachors  to  receive  those  who  had  been  ex- 
j)ell('(:l,  and  who  desired  to  be  restored  again  into  the  bosom 
of  the  church,  provided  that  a  i)roniise  was  given  by  the  ex- 
pelled persons  to  desist  from  undue  agitation  of  the  matter. 
This  disposition  on  the  j»art  of  the  (Jeneral  Conference  to  heal 
dissensions,  and  restore  to  the  privileges  of  the  church  those 
who  had  been  excluded,  does  not  appear  to  have  been  received 
with  much  favor  by  the  reformers;  on  the  contrary,  a  very 
considerable  secession  took  place  not  only  in  Baltimore,  but  in 
.New  York,  riiiladelphia,  Pittsburgh,  Cincinnati,  and  other 
places,  where  congregations  were  organized  and  ministers  ap- 
pointed to  the  charge  thereof. 

The  secession  above  referred  to,  finally  resulted  in  the  organ- 
ization of  the  "  Methodist  I'rotestant  Church."  In  which  the 
main  features  of  Episcopal  Methodism  are  retained,  excepting 
the  composition  of  the  conferences,  and  the  rejection  of  an 
Episcopal  form  of  church  government.  The  feelings  of  ani- 
mosity which  so  long  existed  between  the  two  churches  have, 
it  is  to  be  hoped,  given  place  to  kindlier  and  more  affectionate 
ones;  and  it  is  by  no  means  impossible,  but  that  the  ministers 
and  members  of  both  of  these  branches  of  the  church,  may  yet 
see  eye  to  eye,  and  again  be  embraced  in  the  same  fold. 

At  this  conference  was  formed  the  Oneida  Anrmal  Confer- 
ence, making  in  all  nineteen  annual  conferences  in  the  Con- 
nection, which  were  attended  in  rotation  by  the  bishops  of  the 
church,  who  were,  shortly  after  the  adjournment  of  the  Gene- 
ral Conference,  reduced  to  four  in  number  by  the  sudden  death 
of  Bishop  George,  who  departed  this  life  in  Staunton,  Va.,  aged 
sixty-one  years.  Bishop  George  was  a  good  man,  and  a  truly 
apostolic  bishop ;  and  his  death  was  severely  felt  throughout 
the  entire  church. 

The  most  important  events  connected  witli  the  history  of  the 
church  which  occurred  in  the  interval  of  the  General  Conferences 
of  1828,  and  1832,  were  the  establishment  of  a  Seaman's  Mis- 


m 


mmm 


FOUNbING    OF    COLLEGES. 


03 


fiion  in  the  city  of  Boston,  under  the  sjiiritual  direction  of  Rev. 
Edward  T.  Taylor,  the  world-renowned  sailor-preacher,  who  had 
himself  been  a  seaman  for  a  number  of  years ;  but  who  was 
happily  converted  to  God,  and  became  a  pious,  zealous,  and 
successful  minister  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  who  since  his  first  ap- 
pointment to  that  mission  has  been  continued  from  year  to 
year  down  to  the  present  time  in  the  same  important  relation 
of  Bethel  Chaplain.  Before  this  period  also,  a  Mariner's 
Church  had  been  established  in  the  city  of  New  York,  which 
also  remains  in  a  prosperous  condition,  and  is  regularly  sup- 
plied with  Methodist  preaching.  Another  event  of  importance 
was  the  founding  of  no  less  than  three  Methodist  oJloQ-es  in 
the  year  1831.  These  colleges  were  the  Wesleyan  University 
in  Middletown,  Connecticut,  under  the  presidency  of  Wilbur 
Fisk,  D.D.,  who  had  the  honor  of  being  the  first  graduate 
of  a  collegiate  institution  among  the  American  Methodist 
preachers;  the  Randolph  Macon  College,  in  15oydston,  Virginia, 
under  the  presidency  of  Stephen  Oiin,  a  graduate  of  Middle- 
bury  College,  Vermont,  and  at  the  present  time,  the  highly 
popular  President  of  Wesleyan  University  ;*  and  La  Grange 
College,  in  La  Grange,  x\labama,  under  the  presidency  of  Rev. 
Robert  Paine.  The  establishment  of  these  literary  institutions, 
ail  in  the  course  of  a  single  year,  gave  good  evidence  that 
although  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  had  been  for  many 
years  in  an  apparently  dormant  state  in  reference  to  education, 
she  had  now  awakened  in  good  eainest,  and  was  about  to  atone 
for  past  remissness  by  increased  energy  and  zeal  in  this  impor- 
tant department  of  her  Avork. 

The  General  Conference  of  1S32  met  in  the  city  of  Philadel- 
phia on  the  1st  of  May.  At  this  conference  two  additional 
bishops  were  elected  and  consecrated,  namely,  James  0.  An- 
drew and  John  Emory.     Measures  were  taken  at  this  confer- 

*  Since  the  above  was  written,  Stephen  Olin,  D.D.,  LL.D.,  de- 
parted this  life  in  Middletown,"  Conn.,  on  the  16th  August,  1851,  greatly 
and  deservedly  regretted. 


' 


'\ 


I 

■•i 


'A    ■    ,.!'    I 


04 


Kl'ISCOrAL    METHODISM. 


.^ 


once  for  the  establishment  of  a  mission  in  Liberia,  on  the 
western  coast  of  Africa;  and  in  October  of  this  year  Rev.  Mel- 
ville B.  Cox  sailed  as  a  Missionary  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  to  that  distant  and  benighted  shorf  But  alas  !  for  all 
human  calculations,  he  had  scarcely  entered  on  his  field  of  labor 
hefore  h(i  Ijecame  a  victim  to  the  mj  laria  on  the  coast,  and 
after  a  long  sickness  ^vith  African  fever,  he  fel  n  the  arms  of 
death  on  the  21st  July,  1833,  in  the  33d  year  of  his  age.  His 
dying  words  were — "  Let  thousands  fall  befor(»  Africa  be  given 
up !" — memorable  words,  and  worthy  of  the  man  ! 

During  the  year  1833,  two  other  colleges  were  established 
under  the  pat.-onage  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  : — 
Dickenson  College,  in  Carlisle,  Penn.,  of  which  Rev.  John  P. 
Durbin  was  appointed  President,  and  Alleghany  College,  in 
Meadville,  Penn.,  of  which  Martin  Kuter,  D.D.  was  appointed 
President.  A  large  and  flourishing  Seminary,  in  Lima,  Living- 
ston Co.,  N.  Y.,  was  also  estabUshed  in  1833,  Dr.  iSamuel  Luckey 
being  its  first  Principal. 

In  addition  to  the  establishment  of  the  Liberia  Mission,  and 
the  sending  out  of  five  additional  missionaries  to  fill  the  place 
of  the  departed  Cox,  another  important  mission  was  commenced 
in  the  distant  territory  of  Oregon.  The  Flathead  tribe  of  In- 
dians inhabiting  that  territory  had  heard  in  their  native  wilds 
of  the  white  man's  God,  and  had  sent  a  deputation  of  four  of 
their  principal  men  eastward,  across  the  Rocky  Mountains,  to 
make  the  necessary  inquiries  about  the  Being  whom  the  white 
men  worshipped.  The  singular  errand  on  which  these  Indians 
came,  awakened  in  the  bosom  of  the  Christian  Church  a  strong 
desire  to  send  to  these  heathen  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ.  A 
call  was  made  for  volunteers,  and  in  answer  to  that  call,  two 
young  ministers  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  announced 
their  readiness  to  go.  Accordingly,  the  Revs.  Jason  and  Dan- 
iel Lee — uncle  and  nephew — were  appointed  missionaries  to 
that  far  off  field,  and  on  the  10th  of  April,  1834,  they  com- 
menced their  journey  of  over  three  thousand  miles  on  horse- 


^ 


'^""^f 


DEATH    OF    DlSllors    M'KKNDUKE    AND    KMORV 


Q'> 


back,  and  on  tlie  28th  of  the  T'llowirifr  Soptombor,  tlioy  nnd 
the  privilege  of  preachinfr  the  first  gospel  sermon  ever  (Idivered 
in  that  part  of  the  country.  The  prospects  of  this  mission  were 
so  flattering,  that  tlie  iJoard  of  Missions,  in  183(5  and  1837, 
sent  out  large  reinforcements  for  the  bfiielit  of  the  same.  This 
mission  still  exists,  and  altlionf^h  all  the  y-ood  has  not  been  ef- 
focted  which  was  desired,  and  iioped  for  among  the  Indians, 
yet  the  mission  has  proved  a  great  blessing  to  that  part  of  the 
land,  esp(!cially  since  it  began  to  be  settled  by  a  white  popula- 
tion. 

Tn  183"),  a  mission  was  established  in  Rio  Janeiro,  and  Bue- 
nos Ay  res,  iti  South  America,  tln^  Rev.  Fountain  K.  Pitts,  of 
the  'i'eiinessee  ( 'Oiit'erence,  being  appointed  a  missionary  to  that 
field.  Through  his  labors,  and  those  of  his  suecessor,  1-lev.  Dr. 
Dempster,  a  small  but  Nourishing  Society  has  been  formed,  and 
a  handsome  and  connnodious  ehurcii  has  been  erected  in  the 
hitter  citv. 

During  tlui  year  1835,  the  church  lost  two  of  her  bisliops  by 
death,  namely  :  William  M'Kendree,  the  senior,  and  John 
Emory,  the  junior  b'shop,  the  former  having  filled  the  office 
for  twenty-seven  years,  and  the  huter  only  since  the  previous 
General  Conference.  Hishop  M'Kendree  was  seventy-eight  years 
of  age  at  the  time  of  his  death — he  had  served  the  church  faith- 
fully, and  was  much  beloved  by  both  preachers  and  people. 
His  last  dying  words  were,  "  All  is  well ;" 


'  Xot  a  cloud  (loth  arise 
To  darken  my  skies, 
Or  l)ide  for  a  moment 
My  Loid  from  my  eyes." 


Bishop  Emory  was  comparatively  a  young  man,  being  only 
forty-seven  years  of  age  at  the  period  of  his  sudden  and  un- 
timely death.  For  twenty-five  years  of  his  life  he  had  been  a 
Methodist  preaclier,  and  liad  filled  some  of  the  highest  and 
most  responsible  offices  ia  the  church  previously  to  his  being 


00 


El'IfSt'Ol'AL    MKTIIODISM. 


elt'ctod  bislioj),  and  duriiiij  the  sliort  timo  he  filled  Uk;  latter 
office,  he  gave  evidence  of  his  titness  tor  "  the  work  ot'  a  bishop,'' 
and  promised  fjreat  iiset'uhiess  to  the  church  in  that  important 
capacity,  hut  on  the  10th  ot"  l)eceinber,  183'),  while  on  his  way 
to  Baltimore,  his  jiorse  ran  away  with  him,  and  he  was  thrown 
from  his  carriage,  and  rec(;ived  such  a  wound  on  the  jiead,  as 
caused  his  death  on  the  evening  of  the  same  day.  Being  de- 
prived of  his  senses,  the  only  word  lie  was  heard  to  say  before 
he  died,  was  "  Amen  !" 


SECTION  IX. 


TuR  Cleneral  Conference  of  18.3(5,  assembled  in  the  city  of 
Cincinnati,  Ohio.  At  this  conference,  three  additional  bishops 
were  elected,  namely,  liev.  Beverly  Waugh,  liev.  Thomas  A. 
Morris,  and  the  liev.  Wilbur  Fisk.  The  two  former  being 
present,  were  consecrated,  but  the  latter  being  absent  in  Eu- 
rope, was  simply  advised  of  his  election.  He,  however,  after 
his  return  to  the  United  States,  declined  accepting  the  aj)point- 
nient,  preferring  to  remain  at  the  head  of  the  Wesleyan  Uni- 
versity. 

The  great  and  exciting  topic  of  discussion  at  this  conference 
was  that  ot  slavery.  For  a  number  of  years  the  public  mind 
liad  been  called  uj)  to  the  subject  of  slavery  as  existing  in  the 
United  States,  and  to  the  duty  of  immediate  emanci})ation. 
The  advocates  of  the  immediate  abolition  of  .slavery  in  the  Gen- 
eral Conference,  had  been  elected  delegates  by  their  respective 
annual  conferences,  with  strict  reference  to  their  opinions  on 
this  subject.  Among  the  most  able  of  these  advocates  was  the 
Rev.  Orange  Scott,  of  the  New  England  Conference,  who  lost 
no  opportunity  of  introducing  at  suitable  times  during  the  ses- 
sion, this — to  him — all-important  sulvjcct.  F^loquent  and  able 
as  he  was  acknowledged  to  be,  ho  met  a  staunch  opponent  in 
the  Rev.  W.  Winans,  of  the  Mississippi  Conference.     At  length 


mimm 


^ 


AIM'O'NTMKNT    UF    MISSlONAklKS. 


07 


after  a  stonny  niiil  l»Miy;tliy  (liscussioii  of  Uk^  .suhjirt,  pro  and 
con,  tluf  coiitHronoo  j).'iss<'(l  rcsoltitioiis  coiidt'tniiatory  ol'  iiUHlcni 
jvbolitioiiisin,  so  calltMl.  Tlicso  rt'solutioris  wcrt!  carried  by  a 
laruff!  majority  (»f  llio  dilcijatcs,  while  a  small  hut  rcvsju'ctahle 
miiKjrity  ixit  only  voted  aH-aiiist  their  passajjje,  hut  opposed 
them  otherwise,  as  far  as  they  eouhh 

This  (Jeneral  (Joiit'ereuce  ma<h'  jtrovisiou  for  the  publication 
of  several  additional  weekly  periodicals.  Several  imw  coiifcr- 
encos  were  also  formed,  aad  amoiii;;  the  latter  the  Hlack  River 
Conference,  so  called,  because  the  Dlack  liiver — an  important 
stream  in  Northwestern  New  York,  emptyinij  into  Lake  Onta- 
rio near  Sackett's  Harbor — runs  nearly  throuujh  tlio  centre  of 
it.  Several  impt)rtant  alterations  were  also  made  in  tin;  disci- 
pline, and  the  conference,  having  comjtleted  its  work,  adjourned 
after  a  session  of  four  weeks,  to  meet  again  in  Baltimore,  May 
1st,  1840. 

After  the  adjournment  of  the  General  Conference  of  183(5, 
the  anti-slavery  excitement  continued  not  only  to  exist,  l)Ut  to 
increase  in  intensity,  especially  in  the  New  Kngland  States,  and 
in  the  vvesterji  jtart  of  thi;  State  of  New  York  ;  but  while  the 
church  was  thus  convulsed  from  centre  to  circumference,  she 
did  not  forget  her  appropriate  duty  of  sending  the  gospel  to 
distant  lands.  During  the  interval  between  this  and  the  suc- 
ceeding General  Conference,  several  talented  and  useful  mission- 
aries were  sent  out  to  diti'erent  parts  of  the  world,  under  the 
direction  of  the  missionary  board  of  managers.  i.\mong  those 
thus  sent  out  during  the  abovi;  perii)d,  wenj  the  Rev.  Daniel  P. 
Kidder,  as  missionary  to  Rio  de  Janeiro,  accompanied  by  a 
male  and  a  female  teacher;  Rev.  .John  Dempster,  of  the  Black 
River  Conference,  to  Buenos  Ayres  ;  Rev.  John  Seys,  of  the 
Oneida  Conference,  to  Liberia  ;  Rev.  J.  B.  Barton,  of  the  Geor- 
gia Conference,  to  the  same  field  ;  Rev.  Squire  Chase,  of  the 
Black  River  Conference,  to  Liberia,  to  assist  Br.  Seys,  who  hav- 
ing returned  to  America  for  the  benefit  of  his  health,  on  his 

id  by  his  friend  and  colleague 


accom 


V' 


wmfmm 


98 


EPISCOPAL    METHODISM. 


last  named  ;  Rev.  CJeo.  Brown,  a  colored  local  preacher,  1o  the 
same  field  ;  Doctor  S.  M.  E.  Goheen,  as  physician,  Rev.  J.  Bur- 
ton, as  teacher,  and  Rev.  W.  Stockor,  as  missionary,  were  all 
sent  to  the  same  field,  to  labor,  and  if  need  be,  to  die  for  the 
benefit  of  the  colored  race.  All  the  persons  sent  to  the  coast 
of  Africa,  as  above,  after  tuoir  arrival,  were  more  oi  less  pros- 
trated by  disease,  while  undergoing  the  process  of  acclimation, 
and  one  of  their  number,  shortly  after  his  arrival,  fell  asleep  in 
the  arms  of  death,  with  the  hope  in  possession  of  a  glorious  res- 
urrection from  "Afric's  burning  jtlains."  In  1837,  Dr.  Ruter, 
president  of  Alleghany  College,  and  two  other  |)roachers,  were 
appointed  missionaries  to  Texas — at  that  time  an  independent 
State  by  itself.  These  missionaries,  being  abundantly  success- 
ful in  that  distant  field  of  labor,  were  soon  followed  by  others 
who  assi.-sted  them  in  planting  the  standard  of  the  cross  in  dif- 
ferent portions  of  Texas.  The  year  183G  witnessed  the  estab- 
lishment of  the  first  German  Mission  in  America,  for  the  bene- 
fit of  the  German  population.  It  was  commenced  in  Cincin- 
nati, and  was  placed  under  the  charge  of  Rev.  William — now 
Doctor — Nast,  a  young  native  German  preacher,  of  sound  edu- 
cation, and  deep  piety.  This  was  the  beginning  of  a  great  and 
glorious  work  among  the  Germans,  thousands  having  since  that 
time  been  converted,  and  added  to  the  church  in  different  parts 
of  ihe  United  States,  and  from  among  these,  scores  of  pious, 
intelligent  Methodist  preachers  have  been  raised  up,  some  of 
whom  have  since  gone  to  thoW  fatherland,  to  preach  a  spiritual 
gospel.  In  1838,  a  mission  for  the  benefit  of  the  French  pop- 
ulation was  established  in  the  city  of  New  York,  under  the  ca)-.- 
of  Rev.  Mr.  Williamson,  a  native  Frenchman.  This  mission, 
in  consequence  of  the  prejudices  of  the  Roman  Catholic  French 
and  others,  has  not  succeeded  as  it  otherwise  would  have  done, 
but  has,  notwithstanding,  done  much  good. 

During  the  latter  part  of  the  year  1839,  the  Centenary  of 
Methodism  was  celebrated  with  all  due  solemnity  in  all  parts 
of  the  Methodist  Connection  in  Europe  and  America.     The 


""T»WI^H»^^"«^PiPB«pipW"W^ 


CENTEX  A  KV    OF    METHODISM. 


90 


first  Methodist  Society  having  been  formed  in  London  in  No- 
vember of  1739,  a  hundred  years  had  thus  transpired  since  the 
"  eight  or  ten  persons  came  to  Mr.  Wesley,"  and  witli  liim 
formed  the  rejiroaciied  band  of  Methodists.  During  the  lapse 
of  a  century,  God  had  done  great  things  for  this  peoj)le  ;  the 
small  one  had  become  a  thousand  ;  more  than  a  million  of 
members,  and  three  millions  of  adherents,  had  shared  in  the 
blessings  of  a  gospel  which  declares  a  free  and  full  salvation 
to  the  lost  sons  and  daughters  of  men.  The  25tli  dav  of  No- 
vember  was  accordingly  set  apart  as  a  day  of  thanksgiving  and 
rejoicing  before  the  Lord.  Sermons  were  preached  in  all  parts 
of  the  land — collections  were  made,  free-will  thank-offerings 
wore  presented  to  God  for  the  benefit  of  his  Church,  and  more 
than  half  a  million  of  dollars  were  raised  for  missions,  educa- 
tion, and  the  worn-out  preachers,  and  the  widows  and  orphans 
of  deceased  miiii^itors. 

The  General  Conference  of  1840,  met  in  Baltimore — the 
bishops  of  the  church  all  being  present.  There  w(?re  also  sev- 
eral distinguished  visitors  from  England  and  the  Canadas, 
among  whom  may  be  named  the  Rev.  brethren  Newton,  Stin- 
son.  Harvard,  Richoy,  John  and  E.  Ryerson.  Several  impor- 
tant alterations  were  made  in  the  Book  of  Discipline  at  this  ses- 
sion ;  the  subject  of  slavery  was  also  introduced,  and  discussed 
in  all  its  various  asj)ects,  but  without  arriving  at  any  point 
whereby  the  growing  agitation  in  the  church  could  be  quelled, 
and  after  a  session  of  five  wcc^ks,  the  conference  adjourned,  to 
hold  its  ensuing  session  in  the  city  of  New  York,  on  the  first 
of  May,  1844. 

After  the  adjournment  of  the  General  Conference  of  1840, 
the  anti-slavery  excitement  in  the  church  assumed  a  new 
phase.  Hitherto  the  abolitionists  so  called,  had  been  satisfied 
with  complaints,  petitions,  &c.,  to  the  general  and  annual  con- 
ferences, but  many  of  them  now  began  to  evince  a  desire  to 
leave  the  church  and  form  independent  organizations  among 
themselves,  or  join  such  other  existing  branches  of  the  church 

F 


i 


i 


100 


EPISCOPAL    METHODISM 


as  favored  their  peculiar  views  in  relation  to  slavery.  That  tlie 
reader  may  more  fully  understand  the  state  of  feeling  then 
existing  on  this  subject,  and  the  partial  results  of  the  anti- 
slavery  movement  as  it  relates  to  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  the  author  will  give  a  brief  history  of  the  same  in  the 
form  of  extracts,  from  a  work  entitled  the  "  Churches  and 
Sects  of  the  United  States,"  written  by  the  author. 

"On  the  introduction  of  Methodism  into  the  Southern  por- 
tion of  the  x\merican  provinces,  many  of  those  who  sought 
admission  to  the  fellov»ship  of  the  Societies  were  slaveholders, 
and  as  some  of  them  at  least,  were  so  involuntcuily,  having 
come  into  possession  of  vslaves  '"V  inheritance  or  bequest,  and 
not  having  the  legal  power  to  maiuimit  them  even  if  they  de- 
sired to  do  so,  it  was  not  thought  proper  to  debar  those  who, 
in  all  other  respects,  gave  evidence  of  sincerity  and  piety,  from 
the  privileges  of  the  Societies ;  consequently,  although  there 
existed  a  rule  of  discipline  against  slaveholding,  many  masters 
were  received,  and  in  the  course  of  time  slaveholding  ministers 
were  even  allowed  to  preach.  In  the  year  1784,  through  the 
advice  of  Bishop  Coke,  stringent  rules  were  adopted  by  the 
conference  which  organized  the  church,  agamst  slavery  and 
slaveholding ;  and  among  these  rules,  one  whiah  required  every 
slavebulding  member  to  emancipate  his  slaves  within  the  period 
of  five  years  at  most,  or  if  the  slave  was  under  twenty  years  of 
age,  when  he  should  arrive  at  the  age  of  twenty-five ;  likewise 
that  all  children  born  thereafter  should  be  free  from  their  birth. 
In  order  to  bring  these  rules  into  practical  operation,  the  slave- 
holding  members  were  required  to  execute  deeds  of  manumis- 
sion within  twelve  montlis  or  be  expelled  from  the  church. 
Such,  however,  was  the  strong  hold  which  slavery  had  already 
obtained,  that  it  was  found  impossible  by  the  preachers  to  en- 
force the  rules,  and  at  the  succeeding  conference  the  rules  were 
suspended,  and  remained  so  until  the  year  1796.  At  the  con- 
ference of  this  latter  year,  rules  were  adopted  requiring  official 
aaembers  of  the  church  who  held  slaves  to  emancipate  them ; 


mmm 


im 


'^m 


RULES    KKLATINC;    TO    SLAVERY. 


101 


and  in  the  year  1800,  it  was  enacted  that  when  any  traveUing 
preacher  became  the  owner  of  slaves  he  should  forfeit  his 
ministerial  standing,  unless  he  executed,  if  practicable,  a  deed 
Of  manumission  for  such  slaves,  according  to  the  laws  of  the 
state  in  which  he  lived.  It  was,  however,  soon  found  that 
some  of  the  preachers  who  had  become  involved  in  slavehold- 
ing  could  not  legally  execute  such  deeds  of  emancipation  with- 
out a  special  act  of  legislation  authorizing  them  to  do  so;  and 
in  the  year  1812,  in  view  of  the  above  impediment,  a  rule  was 
passed  by  which  the  annual  conferences  respectively,  were  em- 
powered to  form  sucl}  regulations  in  regard  to  slaveholding  as 
their  wisdom  mi'j-ht  dictate  and  the  laws  of  the  states  admit 
of  being  put  in  execution.  This  rule  remained  in  force  until 
1820,  when  it  was  repealed,  it  being  found  in  the  meantime 
that  the  interference  of  the  annual  conferences  in  the  matter 
of  slavery  was  attended  with  considerable  difficulty  and  embar- 
rassment. From  the  year  1820  to  the  year  1844,  no  new  rules 
on  the  subject  of  slavery  were  adopted  by  the  General  Confer- 
ence. Meanwhile  a  large  number  of  the  travelling  preachers 
in  the  Southern  States  had  become  possessed  of  slaves,  some 
by  purchase,  some  by  bequest,  and  others  by  marrying  slave- 
holding  ladies.  While  slavery  was  thus  being  introduced  more 
and  more  into  the  body  of  the  ministry,  many,  perhaps  a 
majority  of  the  ministers  and  members  in  the  non-slaveholdiijg 
states  and  conferences,  were  ignorant  of  the  true  state  of  things 
in  the  South,  and  little  imagined  that  there  were  actually 
thousands  of  slaveholding  members,  and  scores,  if  not  hundreds 
of  slaveholding  ministers  in  the  Southern  portion  of  the 
church.  » 

"About  the  year  1832,  the  great  anti-slavery  excitement 
commenced  in  the  Xortli.  Ministers  of  different  relisjious  de- 
nominations  had  their  attention  directed  to  the  existence  of  this 
evil  in  the  nation  and  in  the  churches.  Sermons  were  preached 
and  lectures  delivered  on  the  subject.  Anti-slavery  societies 
were   formed,   and   anti-slavery  periodicals    were   established, 


102 


KPISCOl'AL    METHODISM. 


The  attention  of  the  entire  nation  was  solicited  to  a  considera- 
tion of  the  subject.  The  ministers  and  members  of  the  Method 
ist  Episcopal  Church  began  to  examine  the  true  relation 
which  slavery  held  to  the  religi>.  as  body  of  which  they  formed 
a  part.  A  few  zealous  ministers  began  lecturing  and  preaching 
on  the  subject,  and  a  paper  was  established  in  the  city  of  New 
York  for  the  ostensible  purpose  of  showing  forth  in  all  its  va- 
'•ed  features  the  abominations  of  slavery.  This  paper,  "  Zion's 
Watchman,"  established  in  1835,  being  edited  by  a  Methodist 
minister,  and  being  patronized  by  thousands  of  Methodist 
members,  created  an  intense  abhorrence  of  the  entire  system 
of  slavery,  and  an  active  personal  opposition  to  all  its  apologists 
and  abettoi's.  The  conservative  portion  of  the  church  in  the 
North  opposed  the  measures  of  the  abolitionists,  as  the  anti- 
slavery  men  were  then  generally  called,  but  in  spite  of  all 
attempts  to  quell  excitement  on  the  subject,  the  agitation  still 
continued.  I'etitions  and  memorials  were  presented  by  hun- 
dreds to  the  annual  and  general  conferences.  These  petitions. 
in  many  cases,  were  recel.'ed  unwillingly,  in  some  cases  not  at 
all,  but  still  the  flame  spread  wider  and  rose  higher,  until  the 
very  existence  of  the  church  was  threatened.  Secessions  be- 
came frequent ;  thousands  of  (hitherto)  worthy  members  had 
left  the  church  of  their  early  choice  on  account  of  its  connection 
with  slavery,  and  thousands  of  others  were  only  retained  by 
the  hope  that  action  would  be  had  upon  the  subject  by  the 
General  Conference"  (of  1844.) 

Among  the  most  zealous  and  prominent  of  the  Northern 
abolitionists,  were  the  Rev.  Orange  Scott,  George  Storrs,  Le 
Roy  Sunderland,  Jotham  Ilorton,  Cyrus  Priudle,  Luther  Lee, 
and  Lyndon  King,  all  being  members  of  annual  conferences. 
Mr.  Sunderland  was  the  editor  of  the  paper  above  alluded 
to,  but  as  it  advocated  the  immediate  and  unconditional 
emancipation  of  all  the  slaves,  especially  those  held  by  mem- 
bers of  the  Methodi^»c  Church,  or  the  expulsion  of  those  slave- 
holders from  the  church,  and  the  enactment  of  rules  absolutely 


• 


SFX'ESSION'    OF    ABOLITIOXISTS. 


103 


forbidding  the  holding'  of  slaves  by  members  of  the  same,  it 
was  feared,  and  no  doubt  justly,  that  the  measures  of  the  abo- 
litionists tended  to  anarchy  and  e  )nfusion,  and  to  the  disruption 
of  the  church  if  not  the  disunion  of  the  states.  Under  these 
circumstances  the  bishops  and  leading  men  in  the  church 
thougiit  it  to  be  their  s(jleuin  duty,  as  far  as  they  could,  to 
arrest  the  tide  of  evil  by  which  the  institutions  of  the  church 
were  threatened.  Such  a  C(jurse  of  procedure  awakened  un- 
kindly feelings  towards  them,  and  these  feelings  of  hostility, 
which  at  first  had  reference  to  their  official  acts  only,  soon  ex- 
tended to  the  men  themselves,  and  then  to  their  office ;  hence 
in  the  course  of  the  excitement,  not  only  was  a  hatred  of 
slavery  openly  avowed,  but  of  Episcopacy  and  various  othet 
institutions  of  the  church. 

While  soMie,  as  before  stated  in  the  extract  made,  were  wait- 
ing with  patience  the  acts  of  the  General  Conference  of  1844,  the 
leading  ones  among  tlie  abolitionists  were  devising  the  organiza- 
tion of  a  new  church,  which  would  harmonize  more  perfectly 
with  their  views  in  regard  to  the  subjects  alluded  to.  But  be- 
fore the  organization  of  the  new  church,  large  numbers  had 
withdrawn  in  dill'erent  parts  of  New  York  and  New  England, 
and  it  was  wo  doubt  confidently  expected  by  the  leading  seces- 
sionists that  if  a  church  based  on  anti-slavery  and  non-episcopal 
princi[)les  could  be  formed,  not  only  the  greater  part  of  those 
who  had  left  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  would  unite  in 
it,  but  that  tens,  if  not  hundreds  of  thousands  of  those  who 
had  not  as  yut  withdrawn,  would  eventually  do  so.  Accord- 
ingly, in  1843,  a  call  was  issued  for  a  convention  of  abolitionists 
favorable  to  the  organization  of  a  Methodist  Church  that 
should  be  free  from  slaverv  and  Episcopacy.  This  convention 
met  in  the  city  of  Utica,  M.  Y.  on  the  31st  ^'ay  of  May,  1843, 
and  after  some  days'  deliberation  they  succeeded  in  organizing 
the  Methodist  Wesleyan  Church  in  the  United  States.  The 
membe.s  who  composed  this  convention  were  not  all  ministers 
or  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  nor  had  they 


i-'- 


mm 


^m 


104 


EPISCOPAL    METHODISM. 


all  been  sudi.  l.;ir<^e  iiuiiibHrs  wore  in  attcMulanco  from  the 
llefonned  Mctliodist,  the  Methodist  Protestant,  and  Independ- 
ent Methodist  Church(!s;  these  all  united  together,  and  the  re- 
sult was  the  formation  of  six  annual  conferences,  with  about 
three  hundred  preachers  (mostly  local)  and  a  rejiorted  member- 
ship of  about  six  thousand. 

Candor  requires  us  to  state  that  however  ])romising  the 
aftairs  of  this  church  miu'ht  have  been  at  the  time  of  its  orijan- 
ization,  it  has  not  succeeded  according-  to  the  hoj)es  and  ex- 
pectations of  its  friends  and  adherents,  in  gaining  a  very  large 
membership  ;  indeed  so  far  as  we  can  learn  by  information,  and 
our  own  observation,  this  branch  of  the  Methodist  Church, 
especially  in  the  east  and  north,  is  rapidly  on  the  decline. 
This  is  to  be  attributed  mainly,  perhaps,  to  the  decease  or  de- 
fection of  some  of  the  most  prominent  ministers  who  headed 
the  secession  movement.  Orange  Scott,  of  whose  piety  and 
sincerity  we  cannot  reasonably  doubt,  after  having  fought  rnan- 
fidly  for  tlie  Wesleyan  Church,  and  who,  in  fact,  was  the  lead- 
ing spirit  au'iong  them,  hns  been  calfed  to  the  sjnrit  world. 
Mr.  Sunderland  has  not  only  ceased  to  be  a  minister,  but  has 
become  a  complete  visionary  and  an  abettor  and  agent  of  the 
"Spiritual  Knockings!"  Mr.  llorton  has  recently  returned  to 
the  church  he  left,  and  so  with  some  other  choice  spirits,  who, 
having  taken  a  false  step,  have  magnanimity  enough  to  ac- 
knowledo-e  and  retrace  the  same.  Mr.  Kino;  and  others 
having  tried  the  new  ship  awhile  and  found  it  not  suitable  for 
theii  accommoda  '  n,  have  long  since  left  it,  and  sought  for 
better  accommodations  somewhere  else. 

This  secession,  however,  and  the  state  of  the  public  mind  at 
the  North,  was  not  without  its  influence  on  the  composi- 
tion and  action  of  the  next  General  Conference  of  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church.  The  Northern  preachers  and  members 
had  reason  to  fear  that  unless  something  was  at  least  attempted 
on  the  part  of  the  supreme  council  of  the  church  to  free  the 
latter  from  the  slave  power  and  influence,  the  church  at  the 


'Vl 


THE  GKNKRAL  CONFEKENCK  OF  1844. 


105 


North  would  be  rent  into  fiai;ments.  Such  was  the  state  of 
things  when  the  time  tor  the  next  session  of  that  body  had 
arrived. 

SECTION  X. 


The  General  Conference  of  1844,  assembled  in  the  city  of 
New  York.  The  bishops  present  were  Soule,  Iledding,  Waugh, 
Morris,  and  Andrew.  Bishop  Roberts — the  senior  bishop  of 
the  church  since  the  death  of  Bishop  M'Kendree — had,  since 
the  last  session,  been  called  to  his  reward.  He  died  at  his 
residence  in  Lawretice  County,  Indiana,  in  the  G6th  year  of  hia 
age,  and  the  forty-second  of  his  ministry,  on  the  26th  of  March, 
1843.  The  continued  extension  of  the  work  and  the  decease 
of  Bishop  Roberts,  made  it  necessary  to  elect  two  additional 
bishops,  and  the  choice  fell  on  Rev.  Leonidas  L.  Ilamline  and 
Rev.  Edmund  8.  Janes. 

This  conference,  in  some  respects,  ^vas  the  must  important, 
so  far  as  the  results  of  its  acts  are  concerned,  of  any  conference 
which  had  ever  been  held  since  the  one  which  organized  the 
church  in  1784.  The  reader  will  bear  in  mind  the  state  of 
public  feeling  in  the  North  in  relation  to  the  subject  of  slavery  in 
the  church,  and  that  under  this  state  of  feeling  the  conference 
had  assembled  from  all  parts  of  the  country  to  legislate  on  the 
affairs  of  the  church. 

At  an  early  period  in  the  session,  it  became  apparent  that 
there  would  be  a  conflict  not  only  between  the  ultra-pro- 
slaveryism  of  the  South,  and  the  ultra-abolitionism  of  the 
North,  but  between  the  former  and  the  conservative  portion  of 
the  delegates  from  the  northern, middle,  and  western  portions 
of  the  church. 

After  a  few  days  of  the  session  had  passed  away,  an  appeal 
was  presented  by  the  Rev.  Francis  Harding,  formerly  a  member 
of  the  Baltimore  Annual  Conference,  who  had  a  short  time 
previously  been  looted  without  his  consent,  in  consequence  of 


t  :i 


^ 


4 


106 


Kl'ISCOl'AL    METHODISM. 


Iiis  connection  with  slavery.  Mr.  Harding  was  a  young  man 
who  had  been  admitted  to  tlie  travelling  ministry  but  a  few 
years  before,  and  after  being  thus  admitted,  contracted  mar- 
riage with  a  shivehokiing  lady,  by  which  he  became  th(!  nominal, 
if  not  the  actual  owner  of  slaves.  The  lialtimore  Conference, 
although  situated  in  sL'ivehulding  territory,  had  never  favored 
the  holding  of  slaves  by  travelling  jjreaohers,  but  had  occu}»ied  a 
conservative  position  in  relation  to  the  slaveholding  principles 
and  practices  in  tho  more  S(juthern  portion  of  the  work,  and 
the  ultraistn  of  the  North.  They  accordingly  required  Mr. 
Harding,  as  a  condition  of  retaining  liis  membership  among 
them,  to  emancipate  his  slaves  according  to  the  laws  of  the 
state  of  Maryland,  which  he  refusing  to  do,  was  deprived  of 
his  membership  in  the  annual  conference.  To  this  action  of 
the  conference,  he  demurred  ;  hence  his  appeal.  When  the  case 
came  bef(jre  the  General  Conference  for  a  re-hearing,  it  was 
evident  that  there  existed  much  excitement  on  the  subject,  both 
among  the  Northern  and  Southern  preachers.  A  storm  began 
to  gather,  the  Northern  delegates,  almost  to  a  man,  were  for 
dismissing  the  appeal :  the  Southern  delegates,  just  as  unani- 
mously and  decidedly,  were  in  favor  of  sustaining  the  appeal, 
and  reinstating  the  appellant.  After  a  lengthy  and  warm  debate 
on  the  subject,  the  moment  for  decision  arrived ;  a  deathlike 
stillness  pervaded  the  assembly,  as  each  delegate's  name  was 
called,  and  he  answered  yea  or  nay.  After  counting  the  votes, 
it  was  found  that  there  was  a  large  majority  in  favor  of  dis- 
missing the  appeal,  and  the  action  of  the  Jialtimore  Conference 
was  sustained.  This,  however,  was  but  the  "begirming  of  the 
end;"  for  while  this  cause  was  pending,  it  came  to  the  knowl- 
edge of  some  of  the  Northern  delegates,  that  Bishop  Andrew, 
then  present  and  presiding  alternately  with  the  other  bisliop" 
over  the  deliberations  of  the  conference,  had  recently  conip 
into  the  possess'on  of  slaves  in  a  maimer  similarly  to  Mr.  Hard- 
ing— by  mai.iage.  Upon  being  interrogated  on  the  subject, 
the  bishop  candidly  acknowledged  all  the  facts  in  the  case. 


I 


THE    CASE    OF    BISHOP    ANDREW. 


107 


\Vhereupon,  the  subject  was  brought  formally  before  the  body 
for  adjudication.  After  an  exceedingly  stormy  and  protracted 
debate,  the  General  Conference  passed  a  resolution,  the  sub- 
stance of  which  was,  that  it  was  the  sense  of  the  conference, 
that  Bishop  Andrew  should  desist  fron.  exercising  the  functions 
of  the  episcopacy,  until  such  time  as  he  had  released  himself 
from  the  embarrassment  arising;  from  his  connection  with  sla- 
very.  Against  this  action  of  the  conferc"<ie,  the  Soutliern 
delog'itio  .  entered  a  warm  protest,  which  had  been  drawn  up 
by  Dr.  Bascom  of  Kentucky.  It  was  signed  by  fifty-three 
members  from  the  Southern  States,  and  by  seven  fro'.n  the 
Middle  States,  in  behalf  of  thirteen  annual  conferences.  In 
this  lengthy  document  they  protested  against  the  acts  of  the 
majority  in  the  case  of  Bishop  Andrew  :  1st.  As  being  extra 
judicial ;  as  being  both  without  law,  and  contrary  to  law,  and 
2d.  As  beinc:  subversive  of  the  union  and  stabilitv  of  the 
church,  because  it  involved  a  dejiarture  from  the  compromise 
law  of  the  church  in  relation  to  slavery,  and  asserting  in  the 
plainest  terms,  that  if  the  compromise  law  were  repealed,  or 
allowed  to  remain  a  dead  letter,  the  South  could  not  submit, 
and  the  division  of  the  church  was  absolutely  necessary. 

To  this  protest.  Doctors  Durbin,  Peck,  and  Elliott,  presented 
a  lengthy  reply,  which  was  read  to  the  conference,  and  ordered 
to  be  spread  on  the  Journal,  by  a  vote  of  110  yeas  to  16  nays. 
The  reply,  in  forcible  terms,  reviews  the  action  taken  on  Bishop 
Andrew's  case,  and  denies  most  emphatically  that  any  law  of 
the  church  has  been  violated,  or  that  any  injustice  has  been 
done  to  the  bishop  or  to  the  Southern  portion  of  the  church. 
In  the  reply,  they  quote  the  law  on  the  subject,  which  reads  as 
follows :  "  When  any  travelling  preacher  becomes  an  owner  of 
a  slave  or  slaves  by  any  means^  he  shall  forfeit  liis  ministerial 
character  in  our  church,  unless  he  execute,  if  it  be  practicable, 
a  legal  emancipation  of  such  slaves,  conformably  to  the  laws 
of  the  state  in  which  he  lives."  This  law,  it  was  alleged, 
covered  the  case  of  Bishop  Andrew,  and  aside  from  this  law, 
9 


108 


EPIHCOPAL    MKTHODI8M. 


It  was  claimed  as  an  admitted  tact,  that  ho  was  elected  to  the 
episcopacy  in  preference  to  more  gifted  ministers,  because  of 
his  not  being  a  slaveholder,  and  that  being  elected  under  such 
circumstances  and  with  the  expectation  of  his  remaining  free 
from  all  connection  with  that  evil,  he  had  no  right  to  embarrass 
his  administration  by  voluntarily  connecting  himself  with  sla- 
very  as  an  owner  by  marriage,  or  in  any  other  manner. 

The  reply  failed  to  convince  the  fiinority  of  the  propriety  of 
the  proceedings  in  the  above  case.  Indeed,  before  the  reply 
liMfJ  been  read,  a  division  of  the  church  had  been  determined 
upon  by  the  Southern  delegation,  and  there  a[)peared  no  dispo- 
sition on  their  part  to  prevent  the  threatened  disruption,  unless 
Uisliop  Andrew  was  unconditionally  reinstated  in  liis  office. 
The  majority  could  not  agree  to  this,  and  as  division  or  separa- 
tion was  by  both  parties  now  deemed  inevitable,  it  was  thought 
best,  that  if  they  must  part,  it  should  be  done  in  peace.  Ac- 
cordingly, a  plan  of  se|taration  was  agreed  uj)on,  the  substance 
of  which  was,  that  Conferences  and  Societies  on,  or  near  the 
line  separating  the  slayeholding  from  the  non-slaveholding 
states,  might  elect  to  which  portion  of  the  church  they  would 
adhere,  and  that  when  such  election  was  formally  made,  they 
should  be  considered  as  an  integral  portion  of  that  church  to 
which  they  adhered,  and  that  the  other  church  should  not  in 
any  manner  interfere  with  such  Conferences  or  Societies  after 
such  election  had  been  determined,  neither  should  either  portion 
invade  the  territory  of  the  other,  by  aj)pointing  preachers  to 
labor  therein. 

It  was  also  stipulated  and  agreed,  that  the  funds  of  the 
church,  consisting  principally  of  the  Book  Concerns  and  Char- 
tered Fund,  should  be  divided  between  the  two  bodies,  according 
to  tb(i  number  of  preachers  in  each ;  Provided  the  several 
annual  conferences  by  a  constitutional  majority  of  three  fourths 
of  all  the  members  should  concur  in  ren\oving  the  sixth  re 
strictive  rule,  which  declares  that  the  General  Conference 
"  shall  not  appropriate  the  produce  of  the  Book  Concern  nor 


CONVRNTION    OF    SOUTHKRN    MINISTERS. 


lUO 


U:' 


of  the  Chartered  Fund  to  any  purpose,  otlier  tlian  for  the  bene- 
fit of  the  travelling,  supernumerary,  superannuated,  and  worn- 
out  preaeliers  ;  their  wives,  widows,  and  children." 

Having  adopted  the  above  articles  of  agreement,  and  re- 
quested the  bishoi)s  to  iay  the  same  bi;fore  the  annual  confer- 
ences, after  the  completion  of  their  l)usiness,  and  an  arduous 
session  of  six  weeks,  the  (reneral  Conferenct;  adjourned  to  meet 
again  in  the  city  of  I'ittsburgh,  l^ennsylvania,  on  May  1st, 
1848. 

After  the  adjournment  of  the  General  Conference  of  1844, 
a  generrd  anxiety  existed  in  the  North,  East,  and  West,  in  rela- 
tion to  the  course  which  would  be  pursued  by  the  Southern 
preachers  generally,  in  regard  to  the  separation.  Hopes  were 
entertained  by  many,  that  after  the  delegates  had  gone  home,  and 
had  coolly  reflected  upon  the  matter,  they  and  their  constituents 
would  finally  conclude  to  prevent,  if  possible,  a  final  separation 
of  the  two  portions  of  the  church.  These  hopes,  however,  were 
doomed  to  disapj)ointment.  Soon  after  the  return  of  the 
Southern  delegates,  a  mode  of  action  was  announced  by  thena 
to  produce  the  disruption  which  they  had  so  loudly  threatened, 
and  confidently  predicted.  A  convention  of  Southern  ministers 
was  called  by  these  delegates  to  meet  in  Louisville,  Kentucky, 
on  the  1st  of  May  of  the  next  year.  At  this  convention,  the 
proceedings  of  the  Southern  delegates  in  the  General  Conference 
were  sanctioned,  and  it  was  decided  that  a  separation  of  the 
church  was  not  only  desirable,  but  unavoidable,  and  arrange- 
ments were  made  for  holdinsj  a  General  Conference  of  the 
Southern  church  in  May,  1846.  Accordingly,  during  the  course 
of  the  year  1845,  at  the  sessions  of  the  several  annual  con- 
ferences which  adhered  to  the  Church  South,  delegates  were 
chosen  to  represent  them  in  said  General  Conference.  When 
the  time  arrived  for  the  session  of  the  latter,  and  after  the 
opening  proceedings  by  Bishop  Andrew,  Bishop  Soule,  the 
senior  bishop  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  gave  in  his 
adherence  to  the  Church  South,  and  two  additional  bishops 


^"mm 


^^^mmmifft 


110 


KI'IHCOI'AL    Mli'lllODISM. 


wore  siil>seiiu«;ntly  cIocUhI,  iiairuOy,  (^aptM's  and  Paine.  The 
neparatists  iiiado  no  material  alti-rations  in  the  discipline,  and 
such  as  were  inndt^,  won;  riMidtMoil  necossary  by  their  local 
circumstances.  Commissioners  were  appointed  by  this  con- 
i'eri'nce  to  treat  with  the  J>ook  Agents  and  others,  in  relation 
to  the  division  of  the  churcii  funds,  and  Dr.  Pierce  of  Georgia 
was  appointed  a  delorrate  to  the  (Jeneral  Conference  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  to  be  held  in  1848.  The  name 
of  the  new  orjjanization  was  declared  to  be  "  The  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  South ;"  and  after  having  completed  their 
business,  they  adjourned  to  meet  in  four  years,  namely,  May 
1st,  1850. 

Thus  we  see  the  largest  protestant  body  in  the  United  States 
rent  asunder  from  east  to  west,  because  of  the  pro-slaveryisra 
of  the  one  portion,  and  the  «anti-slaveryism  of  the  other ;  for 
although  the  action  of  the  majority,  in  the  cases  of  Mr.  Harding 
and  Jiishop  Andrew,  were  the  immediate  and  apparent  cause 
of  separation,  yet  as  every  reader  v*ill  see,  the  real  cause  lay 
back  of  any  such  action.  It  existed  in  the  fixed  determination 
of  the  Soutli  to  have  slaveholding  ministers  and  bishops  at  all 
hazards ;  and  the  equally  fixed  resolution  of  the  North,  to 
keep  the  episcopacy  and  the  travelling  ministry,  as  far  as  possi- 
ble, free  from  the  accursed  evil. 

After  the  adjournment  of  the  General  Conference  of  the 
Church  South — as  indeed  since  the  General  Conference  of 
1344 — a  violent  controversy  was  carried  on  in  all  the  religious 
papers  of  the  two  churches  in  relation  to  the  action  of  the  re- 
spective portions  of  the  cliurch.  The  entire  connection,  both 
north  and  south,  was  greatly  agitated.  This  is  especially  true 
in  regard  to  the  Conferences  and  Societies  on,  or  near  the  line 
of  separation.  As  it  was  for  the  interests  of  the  Church 
South,  to  gain  as  large  a  membership  ds  possible,  the  most  un- 
justifiable means  were  resorted  to  by  a  portion  of  her  ministry, 
to  draw  ofif  as  many  as  possible  from  tlie  Metliodist  Episcopal 
Church.     One  of  the  leading  separatists,  Wm.  A.  Smith,  of 


THE  VOTE  ON  SUSl'KNRION  OK  TIIR  HfXTri  RULE. 


in 


Virj^ini.'i,  held  piililic.  nioctings  from  placo  to  place  along  the 
lino,  and  in  the  "rrossost  and  most  ulK'iisivo  manner  impnfjncd 
the  motivos  of  the  majority.  As  might  be  expected,  he,  and 
other  spirits  of  cotsgenial  nature,  succeeded  in  drawing  ofVsome 
from  their  allfgianco  to  the  Methodist  Kpiscopal  Church, 
while  the  gn-at  mass  of  the  members  in  the  free,  and  many  of 
those  in  the  border  slave  states,  retained  their  attachment  foi 
the  authority  and  ministry  of  the  Xorthcrn  church. 

Meanwhile,  the  bishoi>s  of  the  Methodist  l*]j)iscopal  Church, 
in  accordance  with  the  instruction  of  the  (Jeneral  Conference 
of  1844,  submitted  to  the  several  annual  conferences,  the  reso- 
lutions of  the  former  body  in  relation  to  the  proposed  alteration 
or  suspension  of  the  sixth  restrictive  rule  before  alluded  to,  so 
as  to  allow  a  division  of  the  funds  of  the  church,  according  to 
the  plan  of  separation  adopted  by  the  conference  of  1844. 
l^ut  althougli  the  presiding  bishops  at  these  conferences  gener- 
ally advised  a  concurrence  of  the  latter  in  the  recommendation 
ot  the  General  Conference,  it  was  found  when  all  the  votes 
were  counted  that  the  constitutional  majority  of  three  fourths 
had  not  been  obtained  in  favor  of  the  measun^  The  whole 
number  of  votes  given  on  this  subject  was  3,185 ;  the  number 
of  votes  in  favor  of  the  alteration  w;is  2,135  ;  against  it,  1,070  ; 
thus  showing  a  deficiency  of  253  votes  to  constitute  the  required 
three  fourth  majority.  While  therefore  a  majority  of  the  ministers 
were  in  favor  of  dividing  the  funds,  yet  as  the  constitutional 
majority  had  not  been  obtained,  it  became  impossible  for  the 
agents  at  the  North,  legally  to  divide  the  same.  Various  were 
the  causes  which  operated  to  prevent  the  obtaining  of  tlie 
requisite  number  of  votes.  The  most  of  the  preachers  at  the 
North,  believed  the  South  to  have  manifested  a  disposition  to 
perpetuate  the  institutions  of  slavery,  and  to  incorporate  the 
same  into  the  episcopacy  and  ministry,  for  the  purpose  of  so 
perpetuating  the  evil.  They  were  also  aware  of  the  ungentle- 
manly  course  pursued  by  some  of  the  leading  Southern  minis- 
ters in  fomenting  divisions  and  strife  along  the  border ;  that 


^m^mmmf^ 


■-  =; 


112 


KPISCOPAL    METirODISM. 


the  South  had,  in  fact,  already  viohvted  the  agreement  made  at 
the  General  Conference  of  1844  by  the  above  course.  But  the 
chief  reason  whicli  induced  so  many  to  give  an  adverse  vote  on 
the  subject,  was  a  belief  that  the  General  Conference  had 
transcended  its  authority  in  consenting  to  a  separation  of  the 
South  from  tlie  North,  and  much  more  so,  in  making  provision 
for  the  same  in  the  plan  mutually  agreed  upon.  Others,  again, 
indulged  a  hope  that  if  the  South  were  denied  a  share  in  the 
funds  of  the  church,  the  Southern  preachers  might  be  induced 
to  retrace  their  ste[)S,  and  consent  to  remain  under  the  juris- 
diction of  the  General  Conference  of  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal Church.  It  is  proper  also  to  remark,  that  many  of  the 
ministers  who  voted  for  the  alteration,  did  so,  not  because  they 
thought  the  South  were  entitled  legally  or  morally  to  any 
portion  of  the  funds  c"  the  church,  or  that  they  acknowledged 
the  power  of  the  General  Conference  to  rend  the  church  in 
twain,  but  they  were  anxious  that  the  slaveholding  conferences 
and  ministers  should  form  a  separate  connection,  so  aa  to  free 
the  Nortliern  Church  as  much  as  possible  from  the  stain  of 
slavery,  and  if  dividing  the  funds  would  induce  them  to  do  so, 
they  were  more  than  willing  they  should  have  a  pro-rata  share ; 
they  woiild  prefer  even  to  give  them  the  whole  rather  than 
remain  in  connection  with  them.  To  use  the  lano-uajje  of  one 
who  thus  voted,  they  "  were  willing  the  South  should  go ; 
and  if  need  be,  pay  them  for  going." 


CCTION  XI. 


Thus  matters  remained  at  the  opening  of  the  General  Con- 
ference of  1848  in  the  city  of  Pittsburgh,  Pennsylvania.  At 
this  conference  were  present  l^ishops  lledding,  Waugh,  Morris, 
Ilamline,  and  Janes ;  Bishops  Soule  and  Andrew  having  ad- 
hered to  the  Southern  Church  as  before  stated.  Several  distin- 
guished visitors  nere  j)resent ;  and  among  the  latter  was  the  Rev 


^: 


iii 


SESSION  OF  THE  GENERAL  CONFERENCE  OF  1848.         113 


Dr.  Dixon,  the  representative  of  the  British  Wesleyan  Conference 
in  England,  and  Drs.  Richey  and  Green,  and  Rev.  John  Ryer- 
son  of  the  Canada  Conference.  Dr.  Pierce,  the  delegate  of  tlie 
Church  South,  was  also  present,  but  the  conference  refused  to 
recognize  him  in  his  official  capacity  as  delegate,  but  cordially 
invited  him  to  a  seat  among  them  as  a  minister  of  the  gospel. 
Bishop  Soule  was  also  present  a  portion  of  the  time,  but  was 
not  recognized  in  his  Episcopal  capacity.  On  the  eleventh  day 
of  the  session  Bishop  Soule  sent  a  communication  to  the  con- 
ference, requesting  that  if  there  were  any  charges  against  him  for 
his  administration  during  the  two  years  after  the  former  Gen- 
eral Conference,  or  until  his  connection  with  the  Church  South, 
these  charges  might  be  investigated,  he  having  an  opportunity 
of  defending  himself.  The  following  day  the  conference  voted 
that  Bishop  Soule  having  withdrawn  from  the  church,  the 
General  Conference  could  exercise  no  ecclesiastical  authority 
over  him.  There  were  also  present  as  commissioners  of  the 
Church  South,  the  Rev.  Drs.  Green,  Early,  Pierce,  and  Rev. 
C.  B.  I'ursons,  who  preferred  a  formal  chiim  to  a  pro-rata  di- 
vision of  the  funds  of  the  church.  This  claim,  as  based  upon 
the  action  of  the  previous  General  Conference,  was  taken  into 
consideration,  and  while  the  conference  by  a  vote  of  133  to  9 
declaied  the  plan  of  separation  to  be  null  and  void,  because 
unconstitutional,  at  the  same  time  evinced  a  strong  desire  to 
divide  the  funds  with  the  South,  if  it  could  be  legally  and  con- 
stitutionally done  ;  but  as  the  requisite  majority  in  the  annual 
conferences  had  not  been  obtained,  it  was  evident  to  themselves 
that  they  had  not  the  power  so  to  divide  it.  They,  however, 
passed  resolutions  to  the  following  effect :  That  th<^  Book  Agents 
in  New  York  be  authorized  to  ask  the  opinion  of  eminent  legal 
counsel,  whether  they  could  legally  and  constitutionally  submit 
the  matter  fo  a  Board  of  Arbitration  to  be  chosen  by  both 
parties,  and  if  the  opinion  of  said  counsel  was,  that  such  arbi- 
tration would  be  legal,  the  agents  were  further  authorized  to 
submit  such  claims  to  such  Board,  and  abide  the  decision  of 


3m^ 


iipi'ipi 


.wpy,*w!.' 


114 


EPISCOPAL    MKTIIODISM. 


the  same ;  or  if  the  Southern  Commissioners  should  commence 
a  civil  prosecution  the  agents  were  authorized  to  refer  the 
whole  matter  to  arbiters  under  the  direction  of  the  court  before 
which  the  case  might  be  brought.  Thus  matters  remained  at 
the  close  of  the  General  Conference  of  1848  ;  and  since  that 
period  actions  have  been  commenced  before  the  United  States 
District  Courts  in  New  York  and  Pennsylvania,  for  a  division 
of  the  funds  of  the  Book  Concern  and  Chartered  Fund,  but  as 
yet  neither  claim  has  been  decided  by  the  Court.* 

We  have  thus  endeavored  to  give  the  reader  an  impartial 
and  connected  account  of  the  division  of  the  church,  and  of  the 
causes  which  led  to  the  same  ;  and  the  intelligent  and  disin- 
terested will  be  able  to  judge  of  the  policy  of  both  branches  of 
the  church  in  relation  to  slavery.  They  will  perceive  that 
while  the  settled  policy  of  the  Northern  branch  is  to  discoun- 
tenance that  evil,  especiall}'^  among  its  members,  the  policy  of 
the  South  is  to  perpetuate  both  in  State  and  Church  what  Mr. 
Wesley,  the  founder  of  Methodism,  pronounced  to  be  "  the  sum 
of  all  villanies."  It  is  true,  there  are  still  a  few  slaveholders 
in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  who  reside  in  slaveholding 
territory,  but  the  policy  of  the  church  in  relation  to  such  is, 
not  to  justify  them  in  sustaining  such  a  relation  irrespective  of 
circumstances,  but  to  induce  them,  as  soon  as  it  can  be  done 
with  justice  to  the  slave,  and  safety  to  themselves,  to  emanci- 
pate them  accordin-;^'/  as  the  laws  will  admit. 

*  Since  the  above  was  written,  the  Southern  claim  on  the  Book 
Concern  has  been  argued  ])efore  the  United  States  District  Court  for 
the  Southern  District  of  New  York,  Judge  Nelson  presitlini,'.  After 
hearing  the  argument  the  court  advised  a  settlement  by  arbitration, 
or  some  other  way.  The  Book  i^  gents  liaving  the  power,  according  to 
their  instructions,  to  make  a  proposal  for  an  arbitration,  did  so;  but 
the  Southern  Commissioners  would  not  consent  to  the  same,  unless  tiie 
Agents  would  jM-eviously  admit  their  riglit  to  a  division  of  the  funds, 
and  would  submit  only  the  question — How  much  they  were  entitled 
to  ? — to  the  Jecision  of  the  Referees.  To  this  of  course  the  Agents 
could  not  submit. 


mmm 


m 


MISSIONS    IN    ORKGON    AND    CALIFORNIA. 


US 


I  ■ 


Having,  for  the  sake  of  connection,  passed  over  several  im- 
portant facts  worthy  of  notice  in  the  history  of  the  church 
durinjr  the  interim  of  tiie  General  Conferences  of  1844-1848, 
we  will  now  resume  our  narrative  of  events,  as  they  transpired 
from  time  to  time.  Late  in  the  year  1843,  the  Rev.  George 
Gary  of  the  Black  River  Conference,  having  been  appointed 
superintendent  of  the  Oregon  mission,  took  his  leave  of  his 
friends,  and  sailed  for  that  distant  shore  for  the  purpose  of 
"  setting  things  in  order,"  as  connected  with  that  part  of  the 
work.  He  arrived  in  Oregon  in  the  early  part  of  June,  1844, 
and  immediately  began  a  course  of  operation  with  the  concur- 
rence of  the  resident  missionaries  for  the  purpose  of  retrenching, 
as  far  as  practicable,  the  expenses  of  that  mission.  Mr.  Lee, 
the  former  enterprising  and  faithful  superintendent,  had  in  the 
meantime  returned  to  the  United  States,  and  had  received  at 
the  New  England  Conference  of  1844  the  appointment  of 
Agent  for  the  "  Oregon  Institute."  His  health,  howevei-,  soon 
declined,  and  on  the  12th  of  March  following  he  departed  this 
life.  Thus  died  the  Missionary  Pioneer  of  the  Valley  of  the 
Columbia,  in  the  42d  year  of  his  age.  Mr.  Gary  remained  in 
Oregon  about  three  years,  f.nd  then  returned  to  the  United 
States,  having  in  the  meanwhile  accomplished  the  object  of  his 
appointment  to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  the  Missionary  Board. 
Such  was  the  success  attending  the  labors  of  the  missionaries 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  Oregon  that  at  the  con- 
ference of  1848  an  Oregon  and  Californian  Mission  Conference 
was  established  on  the  Pacitic  coast,  and  the  Rev,  William 
Roberts,  of  the  New  Jersey  Conference,  was  appointed  sujierin- 
tendent  of  the  same.  Mr.  Roberts,  and  Rev.  James  IL  Wilbur 
of  tue  Black  River  Conference,  had  two  years  previously  been 
appointed  to  that  mission,  and,  with  other  self-denying  men, 
were  laboring  to  build  up  Messiah's  Kingdom  in  that  part  of 
the  world.  The  missions  in  Oregon  and  California  have  now 
obtained   a  prominent   position,  there   being   not   less   than 


^ 


•/■v 


i 


110 


EPISCOPAL    METHODISM. 


eighteen  missionaries  employed  by  the  Board  in  these  fie'ic^s  at 
the  present  time. 

In  the  year  1847,  a  mission  was  established  in  the  empire 
of  China  by  the  appointment  of  the  Kev.  Judson  D.  Collins 
and  Rev.  Moses  C.  White,  as  missionaries  to  that  foreign  field  ; 
and  since  that  period  the  missionaries  have  been  increased  in 
number,  so  that  there  are  at  present  five  missionaries  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  the  Celestial  Empire. 

In  1849  the  Board  of  Managers  resolved  to  establish  a  mis- 
sion in  Germany,  and  the  Rev.  L.  S.  Jacoby,  of  the  Illinois 
Conference,  was  appointed  to  the  work.  Tie  was  instructed  to 
make  the  city  of  Bremen  ':,he  centre  of  operations.  In  nineteen 
days  after  leaving  New  York  he  arrived  in  Bremen,  and  found 
many  who  were  willing  to  receive  him  as  the  messenger  of 
God.  He  immediately  caused  some  Methodist  tracts  to  be 
printed  in  German  for  gratuitous  distribution.  Ho  then  rented 
a  large  saloon  capable  of  holding  five  hundred  persons  in 
which  to  celebrate  public  worship.  He  published  a  German 
hymn-book,  and  having  suggested  to  the  lioard  the  importance 
of  publishing  a  Methodist  periodical  in  Bremen,  he  was  author- 
ized so  to  do,  the  Messrs.  Baker  &  Brother  of  J3altimore  having 
directed  the  Treasurer  to  draw  on  them  for  the  whole  expense 
of  press,  &c.,  SoOO.  Since  then,  other  missionaries  have  been 
appointed  to  Germany,  and  the  success  which  has  already  at- 
tended the  efforts  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  this 
department  of  her  foreign  work  gives  assurance  of  being  arble 
to  reap  a  plentiful  harvest  in  that  field  ;  while  the  German 
missions  in  the  United  States,  commenced  as  before  stated, 
through  the  labors  and  instrumentality  of  Dr.  Nast,  have  more 
than  met  the  most  sanguine  expectations  of  the  warmest 
friends  of  the  enterprise,  as  may  be  judged  from  the  fact  that 
in  1850  there  were  in  the  United  States  nine  German  mission 
districts ;  ninety  missions  or  circuits ;  one  hundred  and  fifteen 
churches,  or  meeting-houses ;  forty-five  parsonages ;  one  hun- 
dred yrr*  ♦•^^nteen  German  ministers,  or  preachers  engaged  in 


MISSION    OF    ST.    REGIS. 


117 


i 


the  regular  work ;  eiglity-ciglit  local  preachers  and  exboiters 
over  seven  thousand  members,  and  nearly  four  thousand  Sun- 
day-school scholars,  under  the  care  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  besides  those  under  the  care  '^f  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church  South. 

While  the  eftbrts  of  the  church  wore  thus  being  directed  to 
foreign  fields,  the  poor  and  destitute  in  sparse  settlements  of 
our  own  land,  besides  the  German  emigrants,  were  by  no  means 
forgotten.  Many  domestic  missions  within  the  last  eight  t 
ten  years  have  been  established  within  the  bounds  of  the  re- 
spective conferences,  and  in  many  instances  have  resulted  in 
the  permanent  organization  of  large  and  flourishing  churches. 
Neither  has  the  "  poor  Indian"  in  his  native  wilds,  or  in  the 
midst  of  civilization,  been  forgotten  by  the  church.  In  differ- 
ent parts  of  the  land  are  large  tribes  of  Indians  residing  on  re- 
served portions  of  land  secured  to  them  in  perpetuity  by  the  gen- 
eral or  State  governments.  Among  these  tribes,  missions  have 
at  different  times  been  esLablished  and  sustained  by  the  liberal- 
ity of  the  whites.  Among  those  tribes  of  Indians  located  on 
such  reservations  is  the  St.  Regis  tribe,  whose  lands  lie  in  the  ex- 
treme north-east  corner  of  the  State  of  New  York,  called  the  St. 
Regis  Reservation.  A  village  counting  a  thousand  Indian  in- 
habitants  stands  partly  on  this  reservation,  and  partly  on  land 
granted  by  the  British  government  to  those  who  reside  on  the 
Canada  side  of  the  line.  For  nearly  a  century  a  Roman 
Catholic  mission  has  existed  in  St.  Regis,  and  a  large  church 
has  long  been  erected  for  their  use ;  but  still,  although  con- 
verted nominally  from  paganism  to  Christianity,  they  were 
sunk  in  ignorance,  superstition,  and  vice.  In  the  language  of 
their  priest  in  answer  to  the  inr^uiry  of  a  Methodist  minister  if 
the  Indians  were  pious  and  sober — "  They  are  very  pious,  but 
not  very  sober,"  was  the  characteristic  reply.  And  such  indeed 
was  the  truth ;  they  wore  very  pious  in  the  Romanist  sense  of 
the  word,  attending  upon  all  the  ordin.ances  and  sacraments  of 
the  Roman  Church,  and  living  a  life  of  debauchery,  drunken- 


■  ■ 


^^ 


118 


EPISOOI'AL    MKTIIOniSM. 


<!i 


ness  and  crime.  Tn  the  year  1847-8  Rev.  Ebenezer  Arnold  of 
the  IMack  Hiver  Conference,  who  was  laboring  on  a  contiguous 
charge,  providentially  was  If.d  among  them,  and  after  preach- 
ing to  them  for  r.  few  time-  the  requir.Mnents  and  blessings  of  a 
pure  gospel,  succeeded  in  arresting  the  attention  of  some,  and 
in  prevailing  upon  them  to  come  to  Jesus  Christ  by  repentance 
and  faith.  The  result  was,  that  a  small  but  flourishing  Society 
was  formed  amonrj  them,  and  the  succeeding  conference  wit- 
nessed  the  appointment  of  a  regular  n/issionary  among  them 
in  the  person  of  the  Rev.  J.  P.  Jennings.  Through  the  indefati- 
gable exertions  of  this  young  minister  and  others,  especially 
through  the  kind  concern  of  Bishop  Janes  who  has  had  the 
charge  of  the  Indian  missions  for  the  time  being,  a  large  and 
beautiful  chapel  was  soon  erected  at  an  expense  of  over  Si, 500, 
being  furnished  with  a  tine-toned  bell,  and  having  a.  neat  and 
commodious  parsonage  attached,  with  land  for  garden,  pas- 
ture, &c.,  the  whole  costing  not  less  than  82,000  or  $2,500. 
Although  the  success  of  the  missionary  in  the  upbuilding  of 
the  spiritual  part  of  the  mission  must  necessarily  be  small  at 
first,  and  gained  only  by  slow  degrees,  yet  sufficient  encourage- 
ment has  been  given  by  the  sound  conversion  of  numbers  of 
these  Indians  to  warrant  a  continued  effort  for  the  special 
benefit  of  this  degraded  people. 

Missions  have  also,  since  the  division  of  the  church,  been  es- 
tablished in  difTerent  cities  and  towns  for  the  benefit  of  the 
French,  Ssvedish,  Danish,  and  Norwegian  population,  and  the 
signs  of  the  times  clearly  indicate  that  the  Methodist  Ej)iscopal 
Church,  always  missionary  in  her  character,  and  aggressive  in 
her  movements,  is  destined  to  become  more  emphatically  a 
Missionary  Church. 

Great  advancement  has  also  been  made  in  the  cause  of  Sun- 
day-school instruction,  within  the  few  past  years.  The  General 
Conference,  more  than  ever  convinced  of  the  importance  of 
Sunday-schools,  has  wisely  made  provision  for  the  increased 
wants  of  the  young  in  this  respect.     The  Sunday  School  Union 


^  .VI 


THE    SUNDAY    SCHOOL    UNION. 


110 


of  the  Methodist  Episcopfvl  Cliurch  was  organized  on  the  2d 
diiy  of  April,  1827,  but  we  are  not  to  infer  that  the  Methodists 
had  no  Sundav-schools  in  their  church  until  the  latter  date. 
At  the  time  of  the  organization  of  the  church  in  1*784,  the 
pre.ichers  were  instructed  especially  to  give  their  attention  to 
the  children  and  youth,  and  in  1790  the  preachers  were  fur- 
ther required  to  establish  Sunday-schools  in,  or  near  the  place 
of  worship,  but  it  was  in  the  year  1827  that  the  cause  received 
a  new  impetus  by  the  organization  of  the  '•  Union,"  and  in  1840 
still  greater  efficiency  was  given  to  the  exertions  of  the  churoh 
by  the  reorganization  of  the  Sunday  School  Union  of  the  Metho- 
dist Episcopal  Church,  and  since  the  appointment  of  the  pres- 
ent able  and  talented  corresponding  secretary.  Rev.  D.  P.  Kid- 
der, the  prosperity  and  increase  of  schools,  scholars,  and  Sunday-' 
school  books,  is  probably  without  a  parallel  in  the  history  of 
any  branch  of  the  Church  of  Christ,  so  that  at  present,  there  is 
no  doubt,  that  not  less  than  five  hundred  thousand  children 
and  youth  are  connected  with  the  Sunday  School  Union  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

We  have  thus,  kind  reader,  given  you  a  brief  historical  ac- 
count of  the  rise  of  Methodism  in  Europe,  and  of  its  introduc- 
tion into  America,  and  its  progress  from  that  time  until  the 
present.  Further  information  in  regard  to  its  present  state  will 
be  obtained  in  the  account  to  be  ijiven  of  the  institutions  and 
statistics  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  the  latter  part 
of  the  book.  We  now  proceed  to  give  an  account  of  the  intro- 
duction of  Methodism  into  Canada  ;  and  of  its  rise  and  progress 
in  that  province. 


SECTION  XII. 


Methodism  appears  to  have  been  introduced  into  the  prov-  i 

ince  of  Canada  in  the  year  1780,  during  ^he  Revolutionary  war  ' 

between  Great  Britain  and  her  North  American  colonies.     A  f 

number  of  the  soldiei-s  who  were  sent  over  to  Quebec  at  that  time,  ■ 


i 


^' 


120 


EPISCOPAL    MRTIIODTRM. 


were  members  of  Mr.  Wesley's  Societies  in  England.  Among 
these  pious  soldiers  was  a  commissariat  officer  belonging  to  the 
forty-fourth  regiment  of  foot,  who  had  been  a  helper  or  local 
preacher  under  Mr.  Wesley,  and  who  immediately  upon  his 
arrival  in  Quebec  began  to  preach,  as  occasion  offered,  to  the 
officers  and  soldiers  of  the  garrison.  Mr.  Tuffey,  for  such  was 
this  gentleman's  name,  remained  in  Quebec  for  about  three 
years,  and  at  the  close  of  the  war  was  recalled  to  England  with 
a  portion  of  the  troops.  The  most  of  his  Methodist  associates 
in  Quebec,  having  with  other  soldiers  the  privilege  of  returning 
to  P^ngland,  or  of  being  disbanded  in  America,  chose  the  latter, 
and  soon  scattered  themselves  over  different  parts  of  the  prov- 
ince. J3ut  as  yet  no  Society  of  Methodists  had  been  formed  in 
Canacia,  Mr.  Tuffey  thinking  it  best  under  all  the  existing  cir- 
cumstances not  to  attempt  the  formation  of  any  Society. 

After  the  declaration  of  peace  between  the  two  countries, 
the  tide  of  emigrntion  began  to  flow  from  the  eastern  shore  of 
the  St.  Lawrence  and  the  great  lakes  towards  the  British  pos- 
sessions, and  in  the  winter  of  1788-9,  a  young  man  by  the 
name  of  Lyon,  an  exhorter  in  the  Methodist  Ej)iscopal  Church 
in  the  United  States,  engaged  a  school  in  the  township  of 
Adolphustown,  Upper  Canada.  He  soon  began  to  hold  meet- 
ings for  prayer,  and  exhortation,  and  in  a  s'lort  time  a  revival 
of  religion  took  place,  in  wliich  some  were  converted,  others 
were  reclaimed,  and  lukewarm  professors  were  aroused  ;  but  no 
Societies  were  formed  by  Mr.  Lyon. 

Shortly  after  this,  an  Irishman  by  the  name  of  M'Cart)',  who 
had  for  some  years  lived  in  the  United  States,  and  who  was  h 
WhitHeldian  Methodist,  rejtaired  to  Canada  and  settled  in  the 
township  of  Earnestown.  He  soon  began  to  preach  written  ser- 
mons according  to  the  practice  of  the  Church  of  England,  but 
with  such  deep  feeling  and  earnestness,  that  many  were  con- 
verted through  his  instrumentality.  Li  this  great  work  he 
was  cheered  and  aided  by  numerous  ^lethodists  who  had 
either  belonged  to  Mr.  Wesley's  Societies  in  England,  or  to 


METHODISM    INTRODUCED    INTO    CANADA. 


121 


the  Methociist  Episcopal  Church  in  the  United  States.  The 
success  of  Mr.  M'Carty  and  the  Methodists  who  co-operated 
with  him,  aroused  as  usual  the  ire  of  some  of  the  established 
clergy.  A  minister  of  the  Church  of  England  meeting  one  of 
these  revivalists  one  day,  said  to  him  abruptly,  "  You  are  going 
to  hell  1"  "  How  do  you  know  that?''  "  Ah  !  I  am  sure  of 
it ;  for  you  run  out  against  dancing,  card-playing,  horse-racing, 
(fee,  a!id  you'll  go  to  hell  for  it."  Such  being  the  character  of 
thejivicsts,  it  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  the  morals  of  the  2^eople 
were  of  any  higher  order,  so  that  it  was  not  without  opposition 
that  Methodism  gained  a  foothold  in  Canada. 

The  most  active  opposers  of  the  work  of  God  in  the  neigh- 
borhood where  Mr.  M'Carty  preached,  were  the  sheriff  of  the 
county,  a  captain  of  militia,  and  an  engineer,  who  employed 
their  power  and  authority  in  abusing  and  maltreating  the 
Methodists.  On  a  certain  Sunday  while  Mr.  M'Carty  was 
preaching  in  a  private  house,  four  men  armed  with  muskets 
came  to  arrest  him.  On  the  solemn  promise  of  the  gentleman 
of  the  house  that  the  prisoner  would  make  his  appearance  the 
next  day  before  the  sheriff  in  Kingston,  the  men  left  him  and 
returned.  The  next  day  he  repaired  to  Kingston,  and  although 
the  sheriff'  at  first  refused  to  take  charge  of  him,  he  was  the 
same  day  thrown  into  prison,  but  released  for  a  certain  time  on 
bail.  When  the  time  for  which  he  had  been  bailed  expired, 
he  again  repaired  to  Kingston  to  receive  his  destiny,  where  by 
the  orders  of  the  chief  engineer,  he  was  put  on  board  of  a  boat 
manned  by  four  trench  Canadians,  who  were  directed  to  leave 
him  on  an  uninhabited  island  in  the  St.  Lawrence.  The  boat's 
crew  attempted  to  comply  with  their  directions,  but  through 
the  resistance  of  Mr.  M'Carty,  they  were  obliged  to  land  him 
on  the  main  shore,  from  whence  he  returned  to  his  family. 
While  thus  persecuted  by  his  enemies  in  Kingston,  to  the 
honor  of  the  late  Sir  »lolm  Johnson  be  it  recorded,  that  the 
latter  furnished  Mr.  M'Carty  with  funds  to  carry  on  a  prosecu- 
tion against  these  vile  wretches,  and  a  kind-hearted  attorney  in 


I  00 


EPISCOPAL    METHODISM. 


Montreal  offtTcd  to  lend  liim  all  necessary  assistance  in  that 
.cspoct.  lint  before  legal  redress  could  bo  obtained,  Mr. 
M'Carty  was  suddenly  and  strangely  missing,  and  has  never 
been  heard  of  from  that  time  to  the  present.  He  might  have 
been  murdered,  or  what  we  should  prefer  believing,  he  may  have 
been  accidentally  drowned  beneath  the  green  waters  of  the  St. 
Lawrence.  Ilis  chief  persecutors  in  Kingston  soon  ended  their 
career  also,  the  engineer  and  shei'ift'  both  having  died  in  a  few 
weeks  afterward,  while  the  militia  captain  subsequently  wrote  a 
confession  of  his  crime,  in  which  he  stated  that  he  had  wrong- 
fully persecuted  an  innocent  man,  and  presented  it  to  the  judge 
of  the  court.  He  afterward  became  insane,  and  continued  so 
until  his  death. 

Two  years  passed  away  after  the  arrival  of  Mr.  Lyon  before 
any  steps  were  taken  to  secure  the  services  of  a  Methodist 
preacher  from  the  States.  At  length  in  1790  a  message  was 
sent  to  the  conference  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  as- 
sembled in  New  York,  for  a  missionary  to  be  appointed  for 
Canada,  and  the  Rev.  William  Losec  was  accordingly  despatch- 
ed to  the  aid  of  those  few  sheep.  He  repaired  to  the  scene  of 
the  revival  before  alluded  to,  and  succeeded  almost  imme- 
diately in  forming  Societies  in  different  townshijjs  with  a  mem- 
bership of  about  two  hundred  persons,  who  attached  them- 
selves to  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  He  also  formed  a 
circuit  extending  from  Kingston  to  the  head  of  the  Bay  of 
Quinte,  embracing  the  townships  of  Earnestown,  Fredericks- 
burgh,  and  Adolphustown.  The  circuit  was  called  Cataraqui 
Circuit.  In  1792  the  Rev.  Darius  Dunham  was  appointed  to 
this  circuit,  and  Mr.  Losee  proceeding  down  the  St.  Lawrence 
formed  another  circuit  whicli  was  called  the  C^swegotchie, 
which  at  the  next  conference  reported  a  membership  of  ninety 
persons.  In  1794  the  Rev.  James  Coleman  and  Rev.  Elijah 
Woolsey  were  appointed  by  the  New  York  Conference  to  Can- 
ada. The  next  year  1795,  Rev.  Sylvanus  Keeler  was  appoint- 
ed to  the  same  field,  and  in   1796  Revs.  Coate  and   H.  C, 


4ri 


t,    ^ 


THE    MISSION    OF   DR.    DANOS. 


123 


Wooster  were  also  appointetl  prencliers  to  the  Ciinfidi;in  breth- 
ren, and  thus  the  cause  of  Methodism  began  gradually  to  ex- 
tend itself  over  the  Upper  Province,  so  that  in  the  year  1800 
there  were  four  large  circuits  with  a  nicmbcrship  of  eleven 
hundred  and  fifty  embraced  in  a  presiding  elder's  district,  and 
attached  to  the  New  York  Conference. 

In  the  year  1802,  Montreal  was  visited  by  the  Rev.  Joseph 
Sawyer.  He  foutid  a  few  persons  in  that  place,  who  had  bo- 
longed  to  the  Mi'thodist  Society  in  the  city  of  New  York  before 
the  revolutionary  war.  By  these  ho  was  cordially  received 
and  assisted  in  procuring  a  school-room  for  preaching.  A  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  McGinnis  were  among  the  first  who  attached  them- 
selves to  the  Society  in  Montreal,  and  who  remained  faithful 
in  tlie  cause  of  Christ  and  of  Methodism  during  all  its  vicissi- 
tudes in  that  place,  until  they  joined  the  church  triumphant. 
In  1803,  Revs.  Samuel  Merwin,  Elijah  Chichester,  and  Laban 
Clark,  were  sent  as  missionaries  to  Lower  Canada ;  and  Mon- 
treal, St.  Johns,  and  Sorel,  are  found  included  among  the  sta- 
tions of  the  New  York  Conference.  Mr.  Merwin  went  to 
Quebec,  where  ho  stayed  only  about  six  weeks  without  being 
successful  in  organizing  a  Society,  and  he  returned  to  Mon- 
treal, where  he  remained  during  the  rest  of  the  year,  and 
was  succeeded  the  next  year,  1804,  by  the  late  Dr.  Martin 
Ruter. 

This  same  year  also,  the  Rev.  Nathan  (now  Doctor)  Bangs 
was  sent  as  a  missionary  to  a  new  settlement  on  the  river 
Thames  in  Upper  Canada,  and  that  the  reader  may  know 
something  about  the  hardships  endured  by  these  pioneers  in 
the  early  days  of  Canadian  Methodism,  we  will  take  the  liberty 
of  presenting  the  account  Dr.  Bangs  gives  of  his  introduction 
to  his  new  field  of  labor,  as  found  in  his  History  of  the  ^letho- 
dist  Episcopal  Church.  Having  requested  the  appointment 
of  missionary  to  that  place,  and  having  obtained  the  same 
from  Bishop  Asbury,  he  "  left  the  city  of  New  York  in  the 
latter  part  of  the  month  of  June,  went  into  Upper  Canada  by 


10 


G 


^T 


iJt 


KPIbCOl'AI.    MKTIIODISM. 


\ 


way  of  Kiiiji;stoii,  thence  uj)  the  country  alutin-  the  north-western 
shore  of  Lake  ()iitari(j  to  tlie  Lonij;  I'uiiit  (Circuit,  and  theiico  on 
t!n'ou;^h  ()xf(jrcl  to  the  town  of  Di'Iawani  on  the  river  Thames. 
Here  lie  hxli,'*'*!  tor  th(!  niylit  in  the  last  Ix^  liiit  in  the  settle- 
ment, and  llie  iifxt  niuriiing  as  (hiy  bcLCan  to  dawn,  he  arose 
and  took  his  departure,  and  after  travtHinLi;  tlirouu^h  a  wilder- 
ness of  forty-tive  miles,  c^uided  oidy  by  marked  trees,  he  arrived 
at  a  solitary  I02;  hut  al)out  sunset,  weary,  huni^ry,  and  thirsty, 
where  he  was  (nitertained  with  the  best  the  house  could  atlbrd, 
which  was  some  Indiaii-jtuddiiig  and  tnilk  for  supper,  and  a 
bundle  of  straw  for  his  bed.  The  next  day  about  twelve 
o'clock  he  arrived  at  an  Indian  village,  on  the  north  bank  of  the 
Thames,  the  inhabitants  of  which  were  nnder  the  instructions 
of  two  Moravian  missionaries.  While  there,  the  Indians  were 
called  together  for  worshin,  which  was  performed  in  a  very 
simple  manner  by  reading  a  short  disccnirse,  and  singing  a  few 
verses  of  a  hvnm.  'ilie  missionaries  and  the  Indians  treated 
him  with  great  resj)ect  and  affection,  and  seemed  to  rejoice  in 
the  prospect  of  having  the  gosjiel  j)reached  to  the  white  settle- 
ments on  the  banks  of  the  river  below. 

"  Aljout  three  o'clock  r.M,,  he  arrived  at  the  first  house  in 
the  settlement,  where  the  following  conversation  took  place 
between  the  missionary  and  a  man  whom  he  saw  in  the  yard 
before  the  house.  After  the  introductory  salutation,  the  mis- 
sionary inquired,  '  Do  you  want  the  gospel  preached  here  .-' 
After  some  deliberation  it  was  answered,  '  Yes,  that  we  do. 
Do  you  preach  the  gospel  V  '  That  is  my  occupation.' 
'  Alight  from  your  horse,  then,  and  come  in,  will  you  V  '  I 
have  come  a  great  distance  to  preach  the  gospel  to  the  people 
here,  and  it  is  now  Saturday  afternoon,  to-morrow  is  the  Sab- 
bath, and  T  must  have  a  liouse  to  preach  in  before  I  get  off 
from  my  horse.'  After  a  few  moments  of  consideration  he 
replied,  '  I  have  a  house  for  you  to  preach  in,  provender  for 
your  horse,  and  food  and  lodging  for  yourself;  and  you  shall 
be  welcome  to  them  jill  if  you  will  dismount  and  come  in.' 


rilEACniNfJ    IN    A    NKW    SKTITIOMKN T. 


]2( 


Thanking  him  fur  his  i<itul  oftor,  the  missionary  (hsmounted 
and  entered  the  hospitahlt;  mansion  in  thu  name  of  tho  Lord, 
saying,  Peace  be  to  this  house.  A  young  man  mounted  his 
horse  and  rode  ten  miles  down  the  river,  inviting  tho  people 
to  attend  meeting  at  that  house  at  t*  n  o'clock  a.m.  of  the 
ne,\t  morning. 

"At  the  time  appointed  the  house  ^■  ;is  filled.  When  the 
missionary  rose  up,  he  told  the  people  that  whenever  a  stranger 
makes  his  jippearance  in  a  place  tho  people  are  generally 
anxious  to  know  who  ho  is,  whence  he  came,  where  he  is  going, 
and  what  his  errand  is  among  them.  'In  tliese  things,' said 
he,  'I  will  satisCi'  you  in  a  few  words.'  lie  then  gave  thom  a 
short  account  otiiis  birth  and  education,  of  his  conversion  and 
call  to  th(;  ministry,  and  the  motives  which  induced  him  to 
come  among  them,  and  concluded  in  the  following  manner : 
'  I  am  a  Methodist  preacher,  and  my  manner  of  worsliip  is  to 
stand  up  and  sing,  and  kneel  in  prayer ;  then  I  stand  up  and 
take  a  text,  and  preach  while  the  jieoplo  sit  on  their  seats. 
As  many  of  you  as  see  fit  to  join  mo  in  this  method  you  can 
do  so;  but  if  not  you  can  choose  your  own  method.'  When 
he  gave  out  his  hymn  they  all  arose,  every  man,  woman,  and 
child.  When  he  kneeled  in  prayer  tliey  all,  without  exception, 
kneeled  down.  They  then  took  tlieir  seats  and  he  stood  up 
and  gave  out  his  text,  '  Repent  yo  therefore  and  be  converted, 
&c.,'  and  he  preached,  as  he  think.s,  with  tho  Holy  ('host  sent 
down  from  heaven.  Having  concluded  his  discourse,  he  ex- 
plained  to  his  audience  his  manner  of  preaching  by  itinerating 
througli  the  country,  his  doctrine,  and  liow  suj)ported,  Szc.  He 
then  s;iid,  'AH  you  who  wish  to  liear  any  more  such  i)reaching 
rise  u[>,'  when  every  man,  woman,  and  child  stood  up.  He 
then  told  them  that  they  might  expect  ])reaching  there  again 
in  two  weeks." 

He  then  sent  on  appointments  througli  the  settlements  along 
down  the  river,  and  was  everywhere  received  with  great  cordi- 
ality.    He  proceeded  down  the  shore  to  Lake  St.  Clair,  crossed 


"»m\\ 


n 


^ 


126 


EPISCOPAL    METHODISM. 


li! 


'-.';„■^ 


over  to  Detroit  and  down  the  shore  to  Lake  Erie,  and  preacherl 
to  people  who  had  never  heard  a  gospel  sermon,  and  to 
Methodists  who  had  not  heard  a  sermon  preached  in  seven 
years.  Thus  we  see  Methodism  introduced  into  that  part  o5 
Canada,  where  it  has  since  taken  deep  root  and  prevailed  ex- 
tensively. 

In  the  year  1806,  this  self-denying  missionary  volunteered 
his  services  for  Quebec.  After  spending  a  few  weeks  in  Mon- 
treal to  supply  them  until  their  preacher,  the  Rev.  Samuel 
Coate,  arri-ed,  he  sailed  down  the  river  St.  Lawrence  and 
reached  Quebec  on  Saturday  morning.  Having  a  few  letters 
of  introduction  he  delivered  them,  and  afte|  great  exertions, 
succeeded  in  renting  a  voom  and  in  getting  it  provided  with 
temporary  seats  during  the  same  day,  and  on  the  luorrow  he 
preached  to  a  "tolerable  congregation."  The  inhabitants  of 
the  city  were  mostly  French  Catholics,  English  Episcopalians, 
or  Scotch  Presbyterians,  and  all  manifested  a  deadly  hostility 
to  Methodism.  A  few  pious  people  however — and  among 
them  a  Scotch  missionary  by  the  name  of  Dick — received  him 
cordially  and  affectionately.  After  laboring  amidst  many  dis- 
couragements for  a  length  of  time,  with  only  about  a  dozen  of 
stated  hearers,  he  succeeded  in  forming  a  small  Society  in  the 
capital  of  British  Norlii  America,  since  which  time  the  Method- 
ists  have  not  only  had  an  organized  Society  in  existence,  but 
have  become  respectable  both  as  it  regards  numbers  and  infia- 
ence,  as  the  author  of  this  work,  in  subsequent  years,  has  had 
an  opportunity  of  knijwing  by  a  personal  residence  in  the 
place. 

In  the  year  1812,  the  last  war  between  Greai  Britain  and 
the  Unit<'d  States  commenced,  and  in  consequence  thereof  the 
cause  of  Methodism  in  these  provinces  sutTered  greatly.  At 
this  time  the  Avork  in  t.lie  Canada^  was  divided  into  two  dis- 
tricts, namely,  the  Upper  anu  Lower  Canada  districts,  the 
former  of  which  was  attached  to  the  Genesee  Conference  recently 
ormed,  and  the  latter  to  the  iN^ew  York  Conference.     From 


PROCEEDINGS  IN  CANADA  DURING  THE  WAR. 


127 


in   the 

'ft 

in  and 

^ 

eof  the 

y.     At 

wo  dis- 

;ts,   the 

•ecently 

T'lom 

each  of  these  conferences  the  annual  supplies  of  preachers  were 
sent  to  the  respective  portions  of  the  work.  At  the  session  of 
the  General  Conference  in  1812,  the  preachers  were  appointed, 
as  usual,  to  the  Upper  Canada  district.  Before  the  formal 
declaration  of  war,  some  of  the  preachers  reached  their  ap- 
pointments in  safety,  others,  however,  after  the  announcement 
was  made,  abandoned  the  design  of  going  to  Canada,  and  some 
of  those  who  had  already  reached  their  circuits  returned  to  the 
United  States.  The  Rev.  Henry  liyan,  presiding  elder  of  the 
Upper  Canada  district,  with  a  few  otlier  brethren,  remained  at 
liis  jiost,  and  was,  during  the  continuance  of  the  war,  the  sole 
director  and  superintendent  of  this  part  of  the  work.  He 
attended  regularly  all  his  quarterly  meetings,  and  called  the 
preachers  together  each  year  and  stationed  them  as  he  judged 
best  from  time  to  time  until  1815,  when  peace  was  declared  to 
the  jov  of  every  pious  heart.  'Jhe  authority  and  power  in- 
vested in  Mr.  Ryan  In'  the  necessities  of  the  case,  no  doubt  laid 
the  foundation  of  the  many  troubles  and  dissensions  which  ex- 
isted for  many  3-ears  sul)sequently,  in  which  Mr.  Ryan  was  j., 
chief  actor,  and  which  finally  led  to  his  abandonment  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  1827,  and  the  organization  of 
an  independent  body  of  Methodists  in  Canada  known  by  the 
name  of  "  Ryanites." 

After  the  close  of  the  war  of  1812-15,  intercourse  between 
the  people  on  both  sides  of  the  lino  was  resumed.  Preachers 
fvom  the  United  States  were  again  appointed  to  the  Canadas, 
and  were  ])ermitted  to  mingle  freely  with  the  inhabitants  and 
preach  wherever  they  could  collect  a  congregation,  and  as  the 
work  had  sutferod  materially  during  the  continuance  of  the 
war,  these  preachers  and  the  members  saw  the  necessity  of 
laboring  zealously  to  recover  what  had  been  lost,  and  their 
labors  were  crowned  with  abundant  success  throuo-hout  difterent 
parts  of  the  provinces. 

Previous  to  the  commencement  of  hostilities,  liishop  Asbury 
in  1811,  made  a  short  v;sit  to  Canada.     He,  after  attending 


M« 


rr 


n 


128 


EPISCOPAL    METHODISM. 


h: 


t^'- 


r 


t' 


the  session  of  the  New  England  Conference  in  Barnard,  Vt, 
crossed  tlie  Green  Mountains  and  Lake  Chainplain,  and  from 
Plattsburgh  made  his  way  through  the  wilderness  known  as  the 
"Chateaugay  Woods,"  and  passing  through  "French  Mills" 
(Fort  Covington)  reached  the  Indian  village  of  St.  Regis.  He, 
from  this  place,  crossed  the  St.  Lawrence  to  Cornwall,  and 
passed  along  up  the  banks  of  the  latter  river,  stopping  and 
preaching  in  different  places  as  he  went  on  his  journey,  until 
at  length  he  arrived  in  Kingston,  where  he  tarried  several  days 
and  preached  in  the  new  chapel  recently  erected  in  that  place, 
with  great  accejitability  to  the  people.  From  Kingston  he 
crossed  to  Sackett's  IIarl)or,  having  made  a  flying  visit  to  a 
colony  then  and  since  under  the  protection  of  the  flag  of  his 
native  country.  It  was  fortunate  that  this  visit  was  made  at 
this  time,  as  hostilities  soon  after  commenced,  and  before  the 
cessation  of  the  same  the  venerable  bishop  was  called  to  his  rest 
in  heaven. 

While  the  war  was  raging,  and  the  Societies  in  Canada  were, 
some  of  them,  left  without  ministers,  the  Society  in  Quebec 
sent  a  request  to  the  Mission  Committee  in  London  to  be  sup- 
plied with  English  preachers;  accordingly,  in  1814,  a  mission- 
ary from  England  was  sent  to  them,  and  Quebec,  in  future,  was 
left  oft'  from  the  American  Minutes.  For  the  same  or  a  similar 
reason  that  an  English  preacher  was  sent  to  Quebec,  it  was 
thought  best  by  the  Wesleyan  Mission  Committee  to  send 
English  preachers  to  other  points  in  the  provinces  ;  accordingly, 
Montreal,  Kingston,  and  other  prominent  j^Iaces  were  soon  oc- 
cupied in  part  by  English  missionaries,  while  at  the  same  time 
American  preachers  were  duly  stationed  among  them.  This 
state  of  things  induced  jealousy  and  bickerings,  not  only  be- 
tween the  members  in  the  Societies  in  these  places  who  favored 
the  ministrations  of  the  one  or  the  other,  but  between  the 
preachers  also,  who,  unfortunately  for  themselves,  were  required 
to  occupy  common  ground.  Complaints  and  remonstrances  to 
the  Wesleyan  Committee  on  the  one  hand,  and  to  the  Ameri- 


BRITISH   AND  AMERICAN  PKEACilKRS  IN  CANADA. 


129 


can  Conferoncofi  on  the  other,  were  inad»i  for  a  re(h-ess  of 
grievances.  But  as  in  the  largo  Societies,  especially  the  one 
in  Montreal,  there  were  two  distinct  classes  of  Methodists  (the 
English  Wesleyan  and  the  American  Episcopal),  it  was  not  an 
easy  matter  to  etfect  an  adjustment  of  existing  difficulties  under 
these  circumstances,  as  one  party  preferred  their  own  country- 
men to  preach  the  gospel  to  them,  and  the  other  as  tenaciously 
insisted  for  the  same  reason,  on  having  their  old  })astors  remain 
amoniT  them.  At  the  General  Conference  of  the  Methodist 
Episco]ial  Church  in  181G,  an  affectionate  letter  written  by  the 
Wesleyan  Committee  was  received  at  the  hands  of  the  Rev. 
Messrs.  Black  and  Bennett,  who  were  appointed  delegates  to 
effect  an  adjustment  of  difficulties.  In  this  letter  a  request 
was  made  that  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  should  with- 
draw her  preachers  from  those  places  occupied  in  whole  or  in 
part  by  the  English  missionaries.  The  General  Conference, 
however,  could  not  see  the  way  clear  to  relinquish  ground 
which  had  been  so  long  occupied  by  them,  and  wrote  an 
answer  to  the  committee,  in  which  they  respectfully  state  that 
they  could  not  consistently  give  up  any  part  of  the  Societies  or 
chapels  in  the  Canadas  to  the  superintendence  of  the  British 
connection.  The  result  of  this  refusal  was  that  those  Societies 
circumstanced  fis  above  described  were  supplied  with  both 
British  and  American  preachers  for  a  numljer  of  years.  This 
was  particularly  the  case  with  Montreal.  At  the  succeeding 
General  Conference  of  1820,  numerous  memorials  and  petitions 
were  presented  from  several  circuits  in  Upper  Canada,  protest- 
ing against  the  occupancy  of  the  ground  by  the  British  mission- 
aries, and  praying  for  the  supply  of  preachers  from  the  United 
States.  The  conference  passed  a  resolution  to  the  effect  that 
the  bishops  still  continue  to  exercise  their  Episcopal  charge 
over  the  Societies  in  the  Canadas,  all  except  Quebec. 

At  this  conference  also,  was  received  another  address  from 
the  General  Secretaries  of  the  Missionary  Society  in  London, 
in  which  they  respectfully  express  their  regret  that  any  mis- 


130 


EPISCOPAL    METIIOUISM. 


i 


. 


^W 


uiiderstanJing  had  taken  place  between  the  two  bodies  in  rehi- 
tion  to  the  above  matter,  and  also  state  that  it  never  was  the 
desio'n  of  tlie  committee  to  have  their  missionaries  interfere 
with  those  preachers  sent  by  the  American  Conferences.  The 
committee,  in  connection  with  the  above,  sent  a  copy  of  the 
instructions  o-iven  to  each  of  their  missionaries  in  rehvtion  to 
their  acts  when  brought  in  contact  with  tlie  American  preach- 
ers. This  document  was  sufficiently  explicit  to  convince  the 
General  Conference  that,  liowever  any  of  the  missionaries  or 
preachers  had  erred  in  judgment,  the  designs  of  the  committee 
and  of  the  British  Conference  were  of  the  most  friendly  and 
pacific  character,  and  in  order  that  all  cause  for  future  misun- 
derstanding might  be  removed,  the  liev.  John  Emory  was  ap- 
pointed by  the  General  Conference  as  a  delegate  to  attend  the 
ensuing  session  of  the  English  Conference,  with  full  powers  to 
negotiate  a  settlement  of  all  existing  difficulties.  In  accordance 
with  his  instructions,  Mr.  Emory  sailed  immediately  for  Eng- 
land, and  attended  the  session  of  the  latter  body,  held  in  Liver- 
pool in  August,  1820.  lie  was  received  with  great  respect  and 
cordiality  by  his  English  brethren,  and  after  due  consultation, 
and  on  the  recommendation  of  Mr.  Emorv,  it  was  resolved  that 
all  the  Societies  and  chapels  in  Upper  Canada  should  be  given 
up  to  the  exclusive  charge  of  the  American  preachers,  and  that 
all  the  Societies  and  chapels  in  Lower  Canada  should  be  re- 
signed to  the  care  of  the  British  missionaries.  For  the  purpose 
of  carrying  out  the  provisions  of  this  plan,  three  ministers  or 
preachers  from  each  conference  were  appointed  to  meet  when 
and  where  convenient,  and  make  the  necessary  transfers,  &c. 
The  settlement  of  these  difficulties  in  the  above  manner  gave 
very  general  satisfaction  to  both  preachers  and  peoj)le  in  the 
Canadas,  and  has  been  productive  of  great,  arid  we  trust,  per- 
manent good,  while  it  aflibrds  an  evidence  of  the  Christian 
desire  of  both  connections  to  maintain  peace  and  unity  between 
the  two  great  bodies  of  Methodists. 

The  number  of  travelling  and  local  preachers  in  the  Upp^» 


INDEPENDENCK    OF    CANADA    CONFERENCE. 


131 


Province  having  become  considerable,  a  strong  desire  began  to 
be  expressed  on  the  part  of  many,  tljat  a  separate  Canada  Con- 
ference should  be  organized,  with  authority  to  elect  a  bishop 
of  their  own,  who  should  reside  among  them,  and  superintend 
their  aft'airs.  A  petition  to  this  eft'ect  was  presented  to  the 
General  Conference  of  1824,  and  the  conference  so  far  granted 
the  prayers  of  the  petitioners,  as  to  erect  a  separate  conference 
for  Canada,  but  retaining  the  same  under  the  supervision  of 
the  bishops  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  This  dispo- 
sition of  the  case  was  not,  however,  satisfactory  to  all,  and  es- 
pecially to  Air.  Kyan,  before  alluded  to,  who  speedily  began 
the  work  of  fomenting  divisions  and  discord  among  the  preach- 
ers, and  especially  among  the  local  preachers  in  the  Canadian 
department  of  the  work.  Through  his  agency,  a  convention 
of  local  preachers  was  called,  a  conference  organized,  and  a 
plan  of  future  operations  adopted.  On  the  assembling  of  the 
conference,  however,  in  Ilallowell,  U.  C,  peace  was  measura- 
bly restored  for  the  time  being,  through  the  instrumentality 
of  Bishops  George  and  Iledding,  who  pledged  themselves  to 
sanction  measures  in  the  future  for  the  organization  of  an  In- 
dependent  Canada  Conference. 

Accordingly,  in  1828,  the  matter  having  again  come  before 
the  General  Conference  at  its  Quadrennial  session  in  Pitts- 
burgh, resolutions  were  adopted  dissolving  the  compact  exist- 
ing between  the  Canada  Annual  Conference,  and  the  Method- 
ist E[)iscopal  Church  in  the  United  States,  and  authorizing  the 
bishops  to  ordain  a  superintendent  or  bishop  for  the  Canada 
Conference,  whenever  elected  by  the  lattei.  At  the  next  ses- 
sion of  the  Canada  Conference,  held  the  f?ame  year  in  Earnes- 
town,  U.  C,  the  proceedings  of  the  General  Conference  in  re- 
spect to  the  separation  having  been  read  ind  explained,  it  was 
resolved  that  the  Canada  Conference  of  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal Church  "  do  now  organize  itself  into  an  independent  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church  in  Canada."  The  separation  was  thus 
rendered  complete  ;  so  much  so,  that  as  soon  as  the  resolution 


-7-w" 


132 


Kl'ISCOI'AL    METHODISM. 


»       * 


/  .'\. 


passet-1,  the  presiding  bishop  rose,  and  declared  thcat  he  no  longer 
had  any  jurisdiction  over  them,  and  that  they  must  elect  a  presi- 
dent befon;  they  could  proceed  to  farther  business ;  accordingly,  the 
Rev.  William  Case  was  elected  General  Superintendent  ^;;'o  tcfii. 

The  Canada  Conference,  although  claiming  to  be  a  Method- 
ist  Episcopal  Church,  did  not  succeed  in  electing  a  permanent 
superintendent  or  bishop  in  the  interim  of  the  sessions  of  the 
General  Conference  of  1828-1832,  so  that  at  the  latter  period 
resolutions  were  passed,  allosving  the  bishops  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  in  the  United  States  to  ordain  any  such  su- 
perintendent within  the  ensuing  four  years,  should  one  be 
elected,  but  for  reasons  which  will  hereafter  be  apparent,  no 
such  otRcer  was  ever  elected. 

The  province  of  Canada  being  subject  to  the  British  crown, 
a  jealousy  had  long  existed  on  the  |)art  of  its  statesmen  in  re- 
lation to  the  institutions  of  the  United  States.  This  jealousy 
ripened  into  hatred  during  the  war  of  1812-15,  and  although 
at  the  close  of  the  same  actual  hostilities  ceased,  feelings  of  an- 
imosity still  remained.  This  rendered  the  situation  of  the 
American  preachers  an  unpleasant  one,  and  led,  as  we  have 
just  stated,  to  the  final  separation  of  the  Canada  Conference 
from  the  parent  body.  A  desire  to  be  identified  with  what- 
ever is  British  in  its  nature  and  origin,  led  the  members  of  the 
Canada  Conference  to  seek  a  union  with  their  brethren  in  the 
English  Conference.  Such  a  union  was  formed  in  1833,  the 
Canada  Conference  changing  its  title  of  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  to  that  of  the  Wesleyan  Methodist  Church  in  Canada. 
In  changing  their  title,  they  also  changed  their  church  polity 
in  several  respects,  and  in  forming  the  union  with  the  British 
Conference,  they  consented  to  receive  their  president  annually 
from  the  latter  body. 

Although  this  union  gave  satisf  iction  to  the  majority  of  the 
travelling  preachers  and  members  of  the  Methodist  Church  in 
Canada,  it  produced  much  uneasiness  and  dissatisfaction  in  the 
breasts  of  many  who  were  ardently  attached  to  the  usages  and 


PROCEEDINGS    OF    THE    EPISCOPAL    METHODISTS.  133 

ecclesiastical  i;overninent  of  the  Metliodif^t  Episcopal  Church. 
While  proposals  for  a  union  were  being  made,  several  conven- 
tions were  held,  in  which  it  was  resolved,  on  the  part  of  those 
dissntisded  with  the  contemplated  arrangements,  not  to  consent 
to  the  union,  if  it  should  be  effected.  The  most  prominent 
opposcr  of  the  union  was  the  Rev.  Joseph  Gatchel,  a  super- 
annuated member  of  the  Canada  Conference,  who,  with  nu 
merous  local  preachers  and  members,  resolved  to  adhere  as  far 
as  possible  to  the  discipline  and  polity  of  the  Methodist  Eois- 
copal  Church.  Accordingly,  in  Juno,  1834,  or  about  eight 
months  after  the  union,  Mr.  Gatchel,  who  refused  to  consent 
to  it,  and  retained  his  name  of  Methodist  Episco2)al  minister 
called  an  annual  conference,  to  be  held  in  Young  Street.  In 
answer  to  the  call,  several  located  and  local  preachers  met  to- 
\5ether,  but  no  member  of  the  Wesleyan  Conference  obeyed 
Mie  summons  to  attend.  Mr.  Gatchel,  claiming  that  the  main 
"body  had  seceded  from  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and 
that  he  only  constituted  the  Conference  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church  in  Canada,  proceeded  in  due  form  to  re-admit 
several  located  preachers,  and  receive  other  preachers  on  trial. 
The  time  and  place  of  the  next  annual  conference  were  fixed 
upon,  and  a  special  General  Conference  was  appointed  to  meet 
in  Belville,  Feb.  12,  1835,  for  the  purpose  of  electing  a  Gene- 
lal  Superintendent,  pro  tempore.  At  the  General  Conference 
thus  appointed.  Rev.  John  Reynolds  was  elected  to  this  office, 
and  at  a  subsequent  General  Conference,  h*.ld  in  June  of  the 
satne  year,  he  was  elected  a  bishop,  and  ordained  by  the  e'ders 
present.  Since  the  above  period,  the  Metliodist  Episcopal 
Church  in  Canada  has  gained  many  adherents  and  members, 
so  that  at  the  present  time  it  may  be  said  to  be  in  a  flourishing 
state,  having  a  large  number  of  chapels  and  Societies  embraced 
in  several  presiding  elders'  districts,  and  two  annual  conferences. 
In  the  meanwhile,  the  Wesleyan  Methodist  Conference  in 
Canada,  while  repudiating  the  action  of  the  "  Episcopals,"  pro- 
ceeded according  to  the  plan  of  union,  in  holding  her  annual 


134 


EPISCOPAL    METHODISM. 


conferences,  and  ailininistering  her  discipline,  for  several  years, 
until  at  length  dissatisfaction  arose  on  the  part  of  the  British 
Conference,  in  relation  to  some  of  the  acts  of  the  Canadian 
brethren,  and  the  action  of  the  Canada  Conference  in  relation 
thereto,  which  led  to  a  disruption  between  the  two  bodies.  In 
consequence  of  this  disruption  the  British  Conference  included 
the  territory  in  the  ui)per  province  within  her  ii'/ld  of  mission- 
ary operations,  and  apixjintod  jireachers  to  the  most  important 
jtlaces  in  Canada.  This  state  of  things  could  not  long  continue 
without  producing  the  most  un])leasant  and  sometimes  violent 
altercations  between  the  adherents  of  the  one  or  the  other  con- 
ference, so  that  with  the  Canadian  Wesleyans,  the  l^ritish 
AVesleyans,  the  Methodist  Episcopalians,  and  the  remains  of 
the  "  llyanite"  secession,  all  in  operation  at  one  and  the  same 
time,  all  presenting  conllicting  claims,  all  having  friends  and 
supporters,  and  each  branch  having  its  bitter  foes,  a  long-con- 
tinued scene  of  turmoil,  contention,  and  strife,  characterized  the 
proceedings  of  our  Metliodist  brethren  in  (panada,  which  state 
of  things  they  no  doubt  all  deplored,  but  had  no  remedy  to 
heal  the  wounds  thus  made.  After  enduring  this  state  of 
things  for  some  time,  overtures  were  made  by  the  Canada 
Wesleyan  Conference  to  the  British  Wesleyan  Confei'ence,  for 
a  cessation  of  ecclesiastical  hostilities,  and  the  re-union  of  the 
two  bodies,  and  in  1847  an  amicable  arrangement  was  effected 
in  London,  through  the  instrumentality  of  Messrs.  Ryerson  and 
Green,  on  the  part  of  the  Canadian,  and  a  Committee  of  the 
British  Conference.  This  arrangement  re-united  the  two 
branches,  and  since  the  period  referred  to,  the  Canadian  Con- 
ference has  been  presided  over  by  a  president  annually  ap- 
pointed by  the  English  body.  There  are  about  two  hundred 
ministers  at  present  employed  in  Canada  West  by  the  Canada 
Conference  and  the  Missionary  Committee  of  London,  besides 
twenty  in  the  Eastern  Canada  district.  The  Episcopal  Method- 
ists have  also  about  an  hundred^  ministers  and  preachers  em- 
ployed in  ditferent  sections  of  the  province. 


7?y 


i 


BOOK    II. 
DOCTRINES    OF    METHODISM 


ARTICLES   OF   RELIGION. 


INTRODUCTION 


TnK  doctritioR  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  are  prin- 
cipiilly  einbnict'd  in  tlie  Twenty-five  Articles  of  Rehgion, 
found  in  the  P>ook  of  Disciphne.  These  Articles  are  nearly 
the  same  with  those  of  the  Church  of  England,  and  the  Prot- 
estant Episco[)al  Church  in  the  United  States.  The  principal 
difference  between  the  Articles  of  the  *^wo  latter  Churches,  and 
those  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  consists  partly  in  the 
number  ;  that  of  the  Church  of  England  being  thirty-nine,  and 
of  the  latter,  as  above  stated,  twenty-five  ;  and  also  in  the 
omission  of  a  few  phrases  attached  to  some  of  the  English 
Articles,  with  the  addition  of  one  in  relation  to  the  Rulers  of 
the  United  States  of  America. 

The  Articles  of  Reliiiion  of  the  Church  of  England  were 
originally  drawn  up  in  the  reign  of  Edward  the  VI.  in  the  year 
1552.  They  at  first  consisted  of  forty-two,  but  in  the  reign  of 
Queen  Elizabeth,  were  reduced  to  the  present  number  of  thirty- 
nine. 

When  the  Rev.  John  Wesley  set  apart  Dr.  Coke  to  the 
office  of  Superintendent  of  the  Societies  in  America,  and  in- 
structed him  to  organize  said  Societies  into  an  independent 
Church,  he  prepared  a  prayer-book,  or  Sunday  Service,  for  the 


130 


KPISCOl'.VL    MKUIOIJISM. 


'I 


• 


'I 


use  of  tlio  infant  cluircli,  in  wliicli  prayer-book  the  Articles  of 
Reliu;ion  were  contiiincd  as  now  found,  excoptiiii^  the  one  re- 
lating' to  rnjf'rs,  which  was  framed  at  the  organization  of  the 
church  in  1784,  and  shortly  after  was  printed  in  the  form  of 
Discipline  ;  since  which  time  no  change  of  any  iinportanco 
has  been  made  in  any  of  the  articles  referred  to. 

We  have  stated,  in  substance,  that  these  articles  embrace 
the  most  of  the  doctrines  of  the  MetHfedist  Episcopal  Church  ; 
we  do  not  say  that  all  the  doctrines  of  Methodism  are  clearly 
set  forth  in  the  same  ;  or  if  all  are  alluded  to,  it  is  only  by 
implicatioti  that  certain  tenets  may  be  inferred  ;  as,  for  in- 
stance— while  the  doctrine  of  entire  sauctitication  may  be  in- 
ferred from  some  of  the  articles,  it  is  in  none  of  them  clearly 
stated,  or  plainly  taught.  Hence,  the  Articles,  while  they  etu- 
body  the  great  fundamental  doctrines  of  the  Church,  are  not, 
in  themselves,  a  complete  body  of  divinity.  Still,  what  is  not 
clearly  stated  or  taught  in  the  same,  is  stated  and  taught  in 
the  other  standard  writings  of  the  Church,  such  as  Wesley's 
Sermons,  and  Watson's  Institutes. 

Objections  have  been  frequently  raised  against  the  adoption 
of  articles  of  faith,  as  though  what  is  acknowledged  to  be 
merely  human,  must  necessarily  be  unscriptural  ;  and  the  cry 
of  "  man  made  creeds,"  has  resounded  from  shore  to  shore,  and 
from  continent  to  continent.  But  why  all  this  opposition  to  a 
mere  statement  of  the  doctrines  of  the  Church,  as  embraced  in 
articles  of  faith  ?  Is  a  merely  human  opinion  in  relation  to 
the  doctrines  of  the  Bible,  any  the  less  human  because  it  is  not 
embodied  in  an  Article  of  religion  ?  Is  an  unwritten  system 
of  belief  any  the  more  scriptural  because  it  is  taught  by  the 
tongue,  instead  of  l)eing  taught  by  the  pen  ?  And  are  the 
multifarious  and  contradictory  statements  of  the  "  no  creed" 
men,  in  relation  to  their  own  doctrines,  to  be  embraced  in 
preference  to  those  which  are  candidly  written,  and  published 
for  the  information  of  ail  who  choose  to  read  and  judge  for 
themselves  ?     When  a  body  of  Christians  are  willing  co  give  a 


REASONS    FOR    A    WIMTTEN    CREEP*. 


137 


candid,  writton  statemont  of  tlicir  religious  opinions  to  the 
Avorld,  so  tli.'it  these  oi»inions  iiiiiy  be  compared  with  the  letter 
of  Scripture,  luid  be  judujed  of  accordingly,  if  not  an  evidence 
of  the  correctness  of  their  faith,  is  at  least  a  proof  of  their  s/n- 
cerif}/  in  niaintainino;  these  oi)inions  ;  whih?  on  the  other  hand, 
if  a  body  of  professed  rin-istians  are  unwilling  to  submit  their 
opinions  to  the  pul)lic  scrutiny,  and  as  an  excuse  for  so  refus- 
ing, pretend  to  hold  in  great  aldiorrence  those  who  do,  the 
reader  may  rest  assured  that  there  is  something  wrong  about 
the  faith  of  such  i)rofessed  Christians,  which  renders  them  un- 
willing to  bring  their  opinions  to  the  test  of  sound  criticism. 
While,  therefore,  some  professed  Christians  choose  to  dwell  in 
darkness,  and  keep  others  in  darkness,  the  design  of  tlu;  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church  is  to  let  her  light  shine,  "  that  others, 
seeing  lier"  faith  and  "  good  works,  may  be  led  to  glorify  their 
Father  in  heaven."  Hence  the  design  of  embodying  in  a  con- 
densed form  the  more  important  doctrines  of  tlu;  IJible,  is  not 
for  the  purpose  of  iiiak'nuj  a  creed,  but  of  statinr/  a  creed  al- 
ready made,  by  the  great  Head  of  the  Church  ;  not  for  the 
purpose  of  leading  men  astray  by  giving  them  an  op])ortunity 
of  knowing  and  judging  of  our  o}>inions,  but  to  prevent  their 
being  led  astray  by  those  who  dare  not  honestly  state  in  writ- 
ing; what  are  their  true  sentiments,  l^esides,  a  creed  may  ex- 
ist  as  really  in  an  unwritten  as  in  a  wiitten  form.  The  Con- 
stitution of  En<jland  is  unwritten,  but  it  is  none  the  less  a  Con- 
stitution  ;  the  Constitution  of  the  Unite(l  States  is  a  written 
instrument,  and  if  it  is  preferable  to  the  former,  it  is  because  it 
is  more  definite,  more  easily  understood,  its  positions  more 
clearly  defined,  and  the  rights  ^i'f  the  peo[»le  more  fullv  secured. 
In  like  manner,  a  creed  may  e.xut  without  being  written,  but 
wants  that  definiteness,  that  clearness,  that  correctness,  belong- 
ing to  the  creed  which  is  plaiidy  written,  nd  is  confided  to 
the  safe  keeping  of  each  member  of  the  Church,  as  a  guaran- 
tee against  false  doctrine,  and  heterodo.\  opinions.  Hence,  the 
only  valid  objection  which  can  be  raised  agaiust  the  (existence 


-  U 


w^fjm 


..^.__«.— 


9991 


191 


EPISCOPAL    MKTHoniSM. 


of  written  articles  of  roiigioii  in  the  Methodist  Epi-^copa 
Church,  is  not  that  there  are  such  articles  in  existence,  bui* 
that  they  <lo  not  express  all  that  the  Church  believes  ;  not 
that  there  are  too  many,  but  too  few.  While,  therefore,  we 
claim  that  the  Articles  alluded  to  embrace  all  that  is  funda- 
tnental  to  Christianity,  we  freely  admit  that  there  are  points 
ot*  doctrine  believed  by  the  Methodist  ('hnrch,  which  are  not 
SIS  fully  stated  in  these  Articles,  as  they  Jire  in  our  standard 
theoloL^icr.l  works.  Our  oi)ject,  therefore,  w'll  be,  to  state  the 
doctrines  taught  in  the  Twenty-live  Aiiicles,  and  tiien  speak 
of  the  other  prominent  doctrines  which  are  no^,  ombracel  in 
the  same,  bi't  ar'^  believ'd  in,  ."rd  taiylit  by  the  Church. 


ARTICLE  T. 


OF    FAITH    IN    TIIK    IIOI.Y    TIUNITV. 


\l     \ 


\<m    \\\ 


"There  is  but  only  one  living  and  true  (lod,  everlasting,  withont 
body  or  parts,  of  infinite  power,  wisdom  and  goodness:  the  maker  and 
preserver  of  all  things  visible  and  invisil)le.  And  in  unity  of  this 
Godhead  there  are  three  persons,  of  onosul)stance,  power,  and  eternity : 
— the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost." 

The  doctrine  embraced  in  this  Article  is  fundamental,  and 
lies  at  the  foundation  of  tne  Christian  religion,  and  ti'Mches  the 
tbilowing  c'lrdinal  truths  :  1st.  IVie  existence  of  God.  2d.  2Vie 
Unity  of  Gud.  3d.  2Vi.e  ctevnitij  of  God.  4th.  Th.e  iucorpo- 
rielij  of  (rod.  oth.  Tlie  infinite  /jowcr  of  (tod.  Gth.  7'he 
infinite  wisdom  of  God.  7th.  The  infinite  f/oodncss  o/'  (fod. 
8th.  The  creative  and  ■preservative  acts  of  God  :  ami  la.sbiy, 
The  Triniti/  in  the  Unit;/  of  the  Godhead.  It  will  not  be 
necessary  to  enlarge  on  each  of  these  points,  we  will  allude  to 
but  two, — the  Incor[)oreity  of  God,  and  the  Trinity  in  Unity. 

1.  The  declaration  that  (Jod  exists  "without  body  or  parts" 
has  been  objected  to  by  some  modern  fanatics,  who  r-eize  on 


THE    DOCTRINE    OF    THE    TRINITY. 


139 


corl;iin  lij^uiativc  pjussai^os  of  Scrijiture,  wluTciii  Cuk\  is  s|.okon 
of  as  beiiii:;  possessed  of  hands,  eyes,  ears,  &c,,  and  argue  from 
the  same  that  (Jod  possesses  both  body  and  jiarts.  This  in- 
consistent and  blasplieinons  doctrine  was  also  taught  by  an  an- 
cient sect  of  lieretics  called  Antithro|)oniorphites,  while  it  rp- 
niained  for  the  Mormoiiites  of  these  "  latter  days,"  to  assert  in 
the  most  positive  terms,  that  (rod  has  both  "body,  parts,  and 
passions."  This  idea,  howtner,  is  opp(;sed  to  the  inliiiity  of 
(rod,  who,  if  possessed  of  body  and  parts,  must  have  tlu'in  in 
possession  as  finite  parts,  or  as  intiiiito  parts  of  the  great  whole. 
If  these  parts  are  finite,  the  aggregate  cannot  make  an  inliiiite 
being  any  more  than  two  and  two  can  form  an  iritlnito  num- 
ber ;  hence  (rod  must  necessarily  bo  a  finite  being,  which  is 
contrary  to  reason  ;vnd  Serii)ture;  but  if  eacli  of  these  parts  is 
infinite  in  itself,  then  every  part  must  be  equal  to  the  whole, 
for  the  whole  cannot  bo  more  than  infinite  ;  hence,  we  arrive 
at  the  contradictory  and  absurd  conclusion  of  a  plurality  of  in- 
finites, or  in  other  words,  of  a  plurality  of  supreme  gods  I  exist- 
ing in  the  one  living  and  true  (Jod  !  JV'sides,  it  is  positively 
declared  that  "  (Jod  is  a  spirit,"  which  declaration  stands  dia- 
metriciilly  opposed  to  the  doctrine  under  consideration,  for  if  the 
meaning  of  the  Saviour  in  that  declaration  was  merely  that  God 
is  partly  spirit  and  partly  matter,  he  would  have  clearly  stated 
the  fact  by  saying  "  then^  is  a  sj)irit  in  God,"  and  not  as  above 
quoted,  declare  that  "  God  is  a  spirit^ 

2.  The  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  in  Unity  has  also  been  ob- 
jected to  ])y  ancient  as  well  as  modern  heretics,  who,  because 
they  cannot  bring  their  unassisted  reason  to  compreliend  the 
mode  or  manner  of  the  divine  existence,  rashly  reject  the  scrip- 
tural evidence  of  such  existence  as  based  upon  the  fact  of  there  be- 
ing "  three  persons  in  one  God,— Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost." 
"  We  cannot,"  say  the  objectors,  "comprehend  how  there  can 
exist  three  persons  in  the  Godhead,  each  of  these  persons 
being  distinct  and  yet  forming  but  one  being."     Now  a  mere 

want  of  comprehension  cannot  disprove  the  existence  of  any 
11 


SSB 


IK 


,"»A 


140 


El'ISCOI'AL    MKTIIODISM. 


fact,  liowevc;  inconij)rehc'nsible  tliat  fact  may  be  to  us.  Let 
us  illustrate;  tlie  laws  of  nature  and  their  mode  of  operation 
are  in  many  respects  totally  iiicom]>rchensible ;  but  i\\kfact  of 
their  existence  we  dare  not  deny,  or  even  doubt.  If  we  intro- 
duce a  single  candle  into  a  dark  room  there  is  a  light,  perfect 
and  complete  in  itself.  If  we  add  to  the  number  of  burning 
tapers,  there  will  be  a  greater  intensity  of  light  produced  by 
these  several  tapers,  the  light  from  each  being  perfect  and  com- 
]il(!te  in  itself,  and  yet  in  the  aggregate  forming  but  one  light. 
Now  an  objector  might  in(j[uire  with  an  air  of  triumj)!),  "How 
can  there  be  three  distinct  and  separate  lights  and  yet  be  but 
one  ?''  Onr  answer  would  be,  "  The/acZ  is  so  ;  although  we  may 
Hot  be  able  to  ex|ilain  the  manner  to  your  com[)rehension  ;" 
and  so  in  regard  to  the  triune  existence  of  (xod,  the  fact  of 
such  existence  is  clearly  established  by  Scri[)ture,  but  the  man- 
ner of  such  existence  may  not  be  explained. 

We  may  illustrate  farther  by  the  laws  governing  the  trans- 
mission of  sound.  A  j)ublic  sjieaker  addresses  an  assemblage 
of  five  hundred  persons.  On  the  utterance  of  each  syllable  by 
the  speaker  a  certain  definite  sound  is  produced,  clear  and  dis- 
tinct in  itself.  This  sound  reaches  tlie  ear  of  each  of  the  audi- 
tory as  a  whole  and  perfect  sound  ;  so  perfect  and  co!uj)lete, 
that  were  there  but  one  person  in  tlie  room  to  listen  to  it,  it 
co'^ld  not  be  more  comp.lete  than  it  now  is,  when  lieard  dis- 
tinctly by  five  hundred  different  persons.  Now,  although  there 
are  seemingly  icholc  and  perfect  sounds  for  each  of  these,  yet 
there  is  but  one  sound  produced  by  the  speaker  ;  and  can  we 
comprehend  clearly  how  this  one  sound  may  divide;  and  subdi- 
vide itself  apparently  into  live  hundred  or  even  five  thousand 
distinct  iiarts,  and  vet  remain  but  a  single  sound  ?  Again  we 
say,  the  fact  is  so;  but  tlie  precise  mode  of  its  l)eing  so,  may 
be  beyond  the  comprehension  of  many,  if  not  of  all.  Other  illus- 
trations of  a  forcible  character  might  be  presented,  but  as  the 
fad  is  purely  a  scriptural  one,  wo  must  seek  light  and  direction 
on  this  important  subject  from  the  word  of  Ood. 


THE    DOCTKINK    OF    THE    TRINITY. 


141 


3.  The  existence  of  a  plurality  of  persons  in  the  Godhead 
may  be  clearly  inferred  from  the  plural  form  in  which  the  word 
"God"  is  used  in  the  Bible,  and  that  too,  in  the  very  beginning 
of  the  Sacred  History.  "  In  the  beginning  Gods  created  the 
heavens  and  the  earth."  As  far  as  we  know,  all  Hebrew  schol- 
ars admit  the  fact,  that  in  the  original,  the  term  which  is  trans- 
lated God  in  the  singular  number  in  our  version,  should  be 
rendered  Gods  in  the  plural,  and  so  in  many  other  passages 
where  the  word  occurs.  The  idea  then  is,  that,  according  to  the 
Hebrew  idiom,  a  plurality  of  persons  existing  as  one  being,  is 
clearly  indicated  by  the  language  employed.  "  Let  ^ls  make  man 
in  our  image,  after  our  likeness,"  clearly  indicates  the  same 
thing.  Nor  will  it  be  sufficient  to  say  that  God  was  herein 
speaking  to  the  angels,  and  inviting  them  to  assist  in  the  work 
of  creation,  for,  first,  there  is  no  evidence  anywhere  to  be  found 
that  angels  or  other  spirits  had  anything  to  do  with  the  work 
of  creation,  as  agents  or  otherwise.  Second,  the  image  in  which 
man  was  made,  was  not  the  image  of  angels,  for  we  learn  that 
Christ  became  tnan  like  unto  his  brethren  ;  but  still,  as  the 
apostle  j)lainly  declares,  "he  took  not  upon  him  the  nature  of 
aiif/cls,  but  the  seed  of  Abraham  ;"  hence  the  nature  of  men  and 
of  angels  is  totally  different  and  distinct,  and  consequently  the 
imao'e  of  God,  and  of  man  who  was  made  in  the  iinaixe  of  God. 
is  different  from  the  image  of  angels ;  and  as  God  speaks  of  an 
image  in  the  singular  form,  it  is  evident  that  it  is  not  the  imago 
of  an  angel  which  is  spoken  of,  or  to,  but  the  eternal  God 
holding  conversation  with  himself  as  a  Trinity  in  Unity  ;  or  to 
be  more  explicit,  God  the  Father  sitting  in  council  with  the 
Son  and  Holy  Spirit  in  relation  to  the  creation  of  man. 

This  doctrine  is  also  clearly  and  beautifully  expressed  by  the 
prophet  Isaiah  vi.  8-10;  as  also  in  a  parallel  passage  in  John 
xii.  40,  compared  with  Acts  xxviii.  25,  in  which  passages  the 
existence  of  the  Trinity  is  not  only  ex])ressod,  but  expressed  in 
such  a  manner  as  to  leave  little  room  for  doubt  of  there  beinf 
three  persons,  and  but  three  in  the  Godhead.     Our  limits  wilJ 


■    V, 


142 


EPISCOPAL    METHODISM. 


not  allow  US,  however,  to  enlarge  our  comments  on  these  passa- 
ges, and  we  can  only  refer  the  reader  to  a  few  more  passages 
from  the  New  Testament  in  support  of  the  doctrine  taught  in 
this  Article. 

Tn  Matt.  iii.  18,  where  the  baptism  of  Christ  is  recorded,  we 
liave  first  the  person  of  the  Son  going  up  from  the  water; 
second,  the  Spirit  in  the  form  of  a  dove  descending  and  lighting 
upon  him  ;  third,  the  voice  of  the  Father  saying,  "  This  is  my 
beloved  Son;"  and  in  Matt,  x.wiii.  19,  the  disciples  were  com- 
missioned to  baptize  "  in  the  name  of  the  Father  and  of  the  Son 
and  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  The  reader  will  observe  that  they 
were  not  sent  to  baptize  in  the  names  of  each  of  these  persons, 
but  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  &c.,  an  indication  that  the 
"Three  are  one."  The  apostolic  benediction  also  may  be 
adduced  as  proof  of  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity,  for  there  would 
be  but  little  propriety  in  making  a  distinction  between  the  per- 
sons of  the  Father,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  Holy  Ghost, 
if  so  be  that  a  trinity  c^  persons  does  not  exist.  In  1  John  v. 
7,  it  is  asserted,  "  There  are  three  that  bear  record  in  heaven, 
the  Father,  the  Word,  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  these  three  are 
one."  It  is  true,  that  the  genuineness  of  this  passage  has  been 
disputed  by  some,  but  Mr.  Wesley  and  other  distinguished  bib- 
lical critics  have  unhesitatingly  avowed  their  belief  in  its  au- 
thenticity, and  if  authentic,  as  we  have  no  doubt  it  is,  it  but 
adds  another  proof  in  favor  of  the  doctrine  advocated.  While 
then  the  doctrine  of  a  trinity  in  unitv  is  set  forth  in  the  first 
Article  of  religion,  and  is  abundantly  supported  by  Scripture, 
that  of  the  divinity  of  Jesus  Christ  is  set  forth  in  the  succeeding 
Article,  and  lii<o  the  present,  is  also  supported  by  the  clearest 
and  most  substantial  proof. 


THK    DIVINITY    OF    CIllUST. 


143 


ARTICLE  II. 

OF  THE  WORD  OK  SON  OF  GOD,  WHO  WAS  MADE  VERY  MAN. 

"  The  Son,  who  is  tlie  word  of  the  Father,  the  very  and  eternal  God, 
of  one  substance  witli  the  Father,  took  man's  nature  in  the  womb  of 
the  blessed  virgin  ;  so  that  two  whole  and  perfect  natures,  that  is  to 
Kiy,  the  (rudhead  and  niaidiood,  were  joined  togetlier  in  one  person, 
never  to  be  divided,  whereof  is  one  Christ,  very  God,  and  very  man, 
wlio  truly  suffered,  was  crucitietl,  dead,  and  buried,  to  reconcile  his 
Father  to  us,  and  to  be  a  sacrifice  not  only  for  original  guilt,  but  also 
for  actual  sins  of  men." 


In  this  Article  the  deity  of  Christ  is  asserted  in  strong  lan- 
guage, as  is  nlso  the  object  of  his  sufferings  and  death — "  to 
reconcile  his  Father  to  us "'  etc.  In  rehition  to  tlie  first  point, 
it  may  be  sufiieient  to  })re>ent  the  basis  of  the  Scriptural  argu- 
ment in  favor  of  the  doctrine  taught.  That  Christ  is  God  in 
the  proper  use  of  that  term,  is  evident  from  the  following  facts  : 

1.  Divine  titles  are  given  to  Christ.  Isaiah  xl.  3,  "Prepafe 
ye  the  way  of  the  Lord,  make  straight  in  the  desert  a  highway 
for  our  God;"  compared  with  Matt.  iii.  3,  "For  this  is  he  that 
was  spoken  of  by  the  })rophet  Esaias,  saying, '  The  voice  of  one 
crying  in  the  wiklerness,  prepare  ye  the  way  of  the  Lord.' " 
Matt.  i.  23,  "  And  they  shall  call  his  name  Emmanuel — God 
with  us."  John  i.  1,  "In  the  beginning  was  the  word,  and 
the  word  was  with  God,  and  the  word  was  God."  Tsa.  ix.  6, 
Christ  is  called  the  "Mightv  God."  1  Tim.  iii.  16,  "God 
manifest  in  the  flesh."  Tit,  ii.  10, "  God  our  Saviour."  1  John 
V.  20, "  The  true  God."  Acts  xx.  28,  "  God  who  purchased  the 
Church  with  his  own  blood."  1  John  iii.  10,  "  Gud  who  laid 
down  his  life  for  us."  John  xx.  28,  "  My  Lord  and  my  God." 
Rev.  xix.  10,  "  King  of  kings,  and  Lord  of  Lords."  These  vari- 
ous titles  ascribed  to  Christ,  prove  beyond  a  doubt  his  divinity, 
•ind  if  it  is  said  that  Christ  is  God,  but  not  the  supreme  God, 


144 


EPISCOPAL    METHODISM. 


Mr  i 


' !    i 


it  reduces  tlie  advocates  of  such  belief  to  the  necessity  of  ad- 
mitting that  there  are  two  distinct  Gods,  a  superior  and  inferior 
one,  which  admission  would  contradict  other  passages  of  Holy 
"Writ  which  declare  that  there  is  but  "  One  God." 

2.  Divine  atlrihutes  are  ascribed  to  Christ.  (1)  Eternity. 
Isa.  ix.  G,  "The  evorliisting  Father."  Kev.  i.  11,  "Alpha  and 
Omega,  the  first  and  the  last."  (2)  Omnipotence.  Kev.  i.  8, 
"Almighty."  Col.  i.  17,  "By  him  all  things  consist."  (3) 
Omnipresence.  Matt,  xxviii.  20,  "  Lo,  I  am  with  you  alway, 
even  unto  the  end  of  the  world."  Matt,  xviii.  20,  "  For  where 
two  or  thro'C  are  gathered  together  in  my  name,  there  am  I  in 
the  midst." 

3.  Divine  acts  are  ascribed  to  Ciirist.  "  All  things  were 
made  by  him  and  without  him  was  not  anything  made  that 
was  .iiade.  For  by  him  wen;  all  things  created  that  are  in 
heaven,  and  that  are  in  earth,  visible  and  invisible ;  whether 
they  be  thrones,  or  dominions,  or  principalities,  or  powers;  all 
things  were  created  by  him  and  for  him."  The  latter  clause 
of  this  passage  is  fatal  to  the  opinion  that  Christ  acted  as  the 
Creator  in  a  delegated  ca|)acity,  or  that  he  made  the  things 
that  are  made,  as  the  agent  of  the  Supreme  Being.  These 
things  were  not  only  "created  bf/  him,"  but  "  for  liim,"  "  and 
he  is  before  all  things,  and  by  him  all  things  consist." 

4.  Divine  worship  was  paid  to  Christ,  not  only  voluntarily, 
but  by  express  command.  "  Thou  shalt  worship  the  Lord  thy 
God,  and  him  only  shalt  thou  serve,"  is  the  command  of  Je- 
hovah ;  yet  Christ  teaches  his  disciples  that,  "  All  men  should 
honor  the  Son,  even  as  they  honor  the  Father."  Hence 
Stephen  prayed,  saying,  "  Lord  Jesus  receive  my  spirit,"  and 
o".  the  ascension  of  Christ  the  disciples  "  worshipped  him."  Not 
only  did  Christ  on  numerous  occasions  while  on  earth  receive 
divine  worship,  but  in  heaven  the  angels  are  re})resented  as 
worshijiping  the  "first  begotten"  of  the  Father. 

5.  Jesus  Christ  forgave  sins ;  an  act  which  can  only  be 
exercised  by  God  himself,  for,  "  Who  can  forgive  sins  but  God 


THE    DIVINITY    OF    CHRIST. 


145 


only  ?"  Yet  Christ  in  many  instances  forgave  sins,  not  as  a 
delegated  agent,  or  proxy,  but  as  God  ;  and  unless  he  was  the 
"  very  Gud,"  he  must  have  usurped  the  power  which  belongs 
to  God  alone,  a  supposition  at  once  blasphemous  and  destruc- 
tive of  Christianity. 

The  Article  under  consideration  refers  to  the  manhood  of 
Christ;  but  as  this  is  denied  by  few,  if  any,  at  the  present  day, 
we  pass  to  notice  the  nature  and  design  of  Christ's  sufferings 
and  death,  which  are  in  the  x\rticle  declared  to  be  for  the  pur- 
pose of  reconciling  the  Father  to  us,  and  to  be  a  sacrifice  not 
only  for  original  guilt,  but  for  actual  sins.  Two  opinions  have 
been  embraced  by  men  in  reference  to  the  nature  of  Christ's 
sufterings,  tfec  Cue  opinion  is,  that  Christ  died  merely  a  mar- 
tyr's death  ;  and  the  other,  that  his  sufferings  and  death  were 
sacrificial  in  their  nature  and  design.  In  the  former  case, 
Christ  ap2>ears  simply  as  a  man  of  exalted  virtue,  suffering  per- 
secution and  death  from  his  merciless  foes,  that  he  might 
evince  the  sincerity  of  his  professions,  and  leave  an  example  for 
his  followers  of  patience  and  resignation.  Tn  the  latter  case  we 
see  him  "  beaiing  our  sins  in  his  own  body  on  the  tree ;"  as 
dying,  the  just/br  the  unjust,  that  he  might  bring  us  to  God : 
as  "  laying  down  his  life  for  the  sheep" — as  being  "  wounded 
for  our  transgressions,  bruised  for  our  iniquities,  cfec." — as  having 
"  died  for  our  sins" — as  being  "  made  sin  (a  sin-offering)  for  us" 
— as  tasting  "  death  for  every  man."  Now,  in  what  sense  Christ 
was  a  Saviour,  we  may  safely  leave  to  the  unbiassed  judgment 
of  the  reader  after  he  shall  have  examined  the  above  quota- 
tions, and  we  may  sinq->ly  affirm  that  if  the  sacrificial  nature 
of  Ciu'ist's  sufferings  and  death  are  not  taught  in  the  Scrip- 
tures, then  is  nothing  taught,    and    language    is   without  a 


meaning. 


But  the  article  asserts  that  the  object  of  Christ's  death  was  to 
"  reconcile  the  Father  to  us."  An  objection  has  been  raised  to 
tiie  use  of  this  expression  on  the  ground  that  it  is  tiutj).,  and 
not   God  that  is  reconciled.     Let  it  be  understood,  however. 


mmm 


146 


KPISCOl'AL    METHODISM. 


that  the  reconciliation  is  mutual  between  the  parties,  and  the 
objection  vanishes.  That  there  is  reciprocal  hostility  between 
oft'ended  Deity  and  offending  man  is  clearly  susceptible  of  proof. 
Rom.  V.  10,  "  For  if  when  wo  were  enemies,  we  were  rec- 
onciled to  God  by  the  death  of  his  Son ;  much  more  beins^ 
reconciled,  we  shall  be  saved  by  liis  life."  Here  the  reader  will 
observe  that  the  act  of  reconciling  is  ascribed  to  God  and  not 
to  man ;  for  the  reconciliation  is  effected  while  men  are  "  ene- 
mies'^ to  God ;  that  is,  while  man  is  in  a  state  of  enmity  and 
hostility  to  God,  the  latter  is  reconciled  to  man  by  the  death 
of  his  Son,  and  man  is  subsequently  reconciled  to  his  Maker 
by  the  same  means.  But  to  show  the  propriety  of  the  ex- 
pression still  farther,  we  may  quote  the  language  of  the  proi)het, 
"  God  is  angry  with  the  wicked  every  day,"  and  also  all  those 
Sci'iptures  which  speak  of  the  "  wrath  of  God  resting  on  the 
children  of  disobedience,"  which  plainly  show  that  God  the 
Father  is  reconciled  to  the  sinner  as  a  sinner,  while  he  can  be 
"just  and  yet  the  justitier  of  them  that  believe."  As  the  ex- 
tent of  the  atonement  is  not  clearly  expressed  in  the  Article, 
we  will  leave  this  point  for  future  reference  in  our  remarks  on 
Article  XX. 

ARTICLE  in. 

OF    THE    RESURHECTIOX    OF    CHRIST. 

"  Chi  iat  did  truly  rise  again  from  the  dead,  and  took  again  his  body 
■with  all  things  appertaining  to  the  perfection  f)f  man's  nature,  where- 
with he  ascended  into  heaven,  and  there  sitteth  until  he  return  to 
judge  all  men  at  the  last  day." 

In  regard  to  the  resurrection  and  ascension  of  Jesus  Christ 
there  is  no  difference  of  opinion  among  professed  Chrisi:ians ; 
but  the  doctrine  of  the  latter  part  of  the  Article,  which  refers  to 
the  day  of  general  judgment  is  denied  by  some  claiming  the 
title  of  Christians,  In  support  then  of  the  latter  doctrine  wo 
offer  a  few  scriptural  arguments. 


THE    RErURRKCTION    OF    CHRIST. 


UT 


1.  The  Scriptures  universally  speak   of  the   judgment  as 


bein^ 


^ 


beinij  yet  in   the  future. 


God  shall  bring  every  work  into 


judgment."  "  For  we  must  all  stand  before  the  judgment- 
seat  of  Christ."  "  For  we  must  all  appear  before  the  judgment- 
seat  of  Christ."  Those  Scriptures  evidently  show  that  the 
judgment  of  men  does  not  tak"  place  at  present,  or  that  men 
are  judged  as  they  commit  good  or  evil,  but  that  their  judg- 
ment is  in  the  future. 

2,  The  Scriptures  fix  the  judgment  on  an  appointed  day. 
''  He  hath  appointed  a  day  in  the  which  he  will  judge  the 
world."  "  In  the  day  when  God  shall  judge  the  secrets  of 
men."  "  The  judgment  of  the  great  day."  "  The  day  of 
judgment."  "  The  word  that  I  speak  shall  judge  him  at  the 
last  day."  If  then  the  judgment  is  on  an  "  appointed  day" — 
on  the  "  great  day" — on  the  "  last  day,"  it  is  evident  that  it 
cannot  be  on  every  day  or  hour  that  the  sinner  may  live  on 
earth. 

3,  The  Scriptures  represent  the  judgmenL  of  former  gene- 
rations of  men  as  yet  in  the  future.  "  It  shall  be  more  tole- 
rable for  the  land  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  in  the  day  of  judg- 
ment than  for  that  city."  "  And  thou,  Capernaum,  it  shall  be 
more  tolerable  for  the  land  of  Sodom  in  t:  e  day  of  judgment 
than  for  thee."  "The  queen  of  the  sout)  shall  rise  in  the 
ju('  -'-nent  with  this  generation  and  condemn  it."  "  The  men 
of  Nineveh  shall  rise  up  in  the  judgment  with  this  generation," 
&c.  In  these  passages  wo  find  that  generations  of  men  who  had 
died  hundreds,  yea,  thousands  of  years  previously,  were  still,  in 
our  Saviour's  time,  reserved  to  the  judgment  of  the  great  day. 

4,  The  Scrip*"ures  speak  of  the  judgment  as  being  after 
death.  "  Who  diall  judge  t\ie  quick  and  dead  at  his  appear- 
ing." "  Who  shall  give  account  to  him  that  is  ready  to  judge 
the  quick  and  dead."  "  And  I  saw  the  dead,  small  and  great, 
stand  before  God ;  and  the  books  were  opened,  and  the  dead 
were  judged  out  of  th(;  things  which  were  written  in  the  books 
according  to  their  works,"     "  It  is  appointed  unto  men  once  to 

n 


^< 


4, 


148 


EPISCOPAL    METHOUISM. 


die,  and  aft^T  this  the  judgment."  No  sophistry  or  misinter- 
pretation can  do  away  the  force  of  these  passages  as  they  rehito 
to  tliat  great  event,  the  judgment  of  mankind. 

5.  The  day  of  judgment  is  connected  with  the  second 
coming  of  Christ,  see  Matt.  xxv.  .'51-40  ;  and  with  the  end  of 
the  world,  "But  the  heavens  and  the  earth  that  are  now,  are 
kept  in  store,  reserved  unto  fire,  against  tlie  day  of  judgment, 
and  perdition  of  ungodly  men."  "  And  I  saw  a  great  white 
throne,  and  him  that  sat  on  it,  from  whose  face  the  earth  and 
the  heavens  fled  away,  and  there  was  found  no  place  for  them, 
and  I  saw  the  dead,  small  and  great,  stand  before  God,"  &c. 
From  these  and  other  considerations  we  think  the  doctrine  of 
the  Article  is  clearly  established.  Remarks  in  relation  to  the 
eternal  punishment  of  the  wicked  will  be  reserved  for  a  future 
Article. 


i  I'  !i 


:t 


'    y 


ARTICLE  IV. 


OF    THE    HOLY    GHOST. 


"  The  Holy  Ghost,  procoetling  from  tlio  Father  and  the  Son,  is  of 
one  substance,  majesty,  and  glory  with  the  Father  and  the  Son,  very 
and  eternal  God  " 

Remarks  on  the  doctrine  taught  in  this  Article  need  not  be 
very  extended,  as  the  doctrine  of  a  Tiinity  in  Unity,  and  of  the 
proper  and  essential  divinity  of  Jesus  Christ,  have  already,  to 
some  extent,  been  treated  of  in  a  previous  Article.  The  doctrine 
of  the  personality  and  divinity  of  the  Holy  Ghost  is  intimately 
connected  with  the  deity  of  Christ,  and  the  trinity  of  persons 
in  the  Godhead.  It  has  been  claimed  by  Unitarians  that  the 
Holy  Ghost  is  but  an  attribute  of  God,  and  that  it  possesses  no 
distinct  personality.  The  actions  and  words,  however,  which 
are  ascribed  to  the  Spirit  are  evidence  that  he  acts,  moves,  (fcc. 
distinctly  from  the  Father  and  the  Son.  "The  Si)irit  of  God 
moved  upon  the  face  of  the  waters."     "The  Spirit  searcheth 


THK    HOLY    CillOST. 


140 


all  things,  even  the  tleoj)  things  of  God."  "  My  Spirit  shall 
not  always  strive  with  man."  These  passages  indicate  person- 
ality ;  and  other  passages  Jiscribo  divine  titles,  acts,  attributes, 
and  worship  to  the  Spirit  of  God,  which  prove  that  while  he  is 
distinct  ius  a  person,  he  is  equal  in  substance,  power,  and  glory 
with  the  Father  and  Son. 

1.  Divine  titles  are  given  to  the  Holy  Ghost.  Acts  v.  3, 
4,  "  Ananias,  why  hath  Satan  lilled  thine  heart  to  lie  to  the 
Holy  Ghost?  Thou  hast  not  lied  unto  men  but  unto  God." 
Here  the  Spirit  is  e.\j)ressly  called  God.  for  in  lying  to  the  Holy 
Ghost,  Ananias  had  lied  to  God. 

2.  Divine  attributes  arc  ascribed  to  the  Holy  Ghost. 
"Eternal  Spirit."  "  Whither  shall  I  go  from  thy  Spirit,"  (fee. 
"The  Spirit  searcheth  all  things,"  tfec.  He  is  also  called  the 
"Sjiirit  of  truth,"  "Spirit  of  grace,"  "Si)irit  of  holiness,"  &c. 

3.  Divine  acts  are  ascribed  to  the  Holy  Spirit  in  Job  xxxiii. 
4  ;  it  is  said,  "  The  Spirit  of  God  hath  made  me,  and  the  breath 
of  the  Almighty  hath  given  me  life."  "It  is  the  Spirit  that 
quickeneth."  When  Christ  rose  from  the  dead  he  is  said  to 
have  been  "quickened,"  brought  to  life  "by  the  Spirit." 

4.  The  form  of  Christian  bajjtism  is  an  evidence  of  the 
personality  and  divinity  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  "Go  teach  all 
nations,  baptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the 
Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  If  the  Holy  Ghost  is  merely  an 
attribute  of  deity,  what  propriety  would  there  be  in  baptizing 
first  in  the  name  of  deity,  and  then  in  the  name  of  an  attribute 
of  deity  ?  The  same  reasoning  will  hold  good  in  regard  to  the 
form  of  the  apostolic  benediction.  AVhen  a  distinction  is  drawn 
between  the  "love  of  God"  and  the  "communion  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,"  it  is  evident  that  the  latter  person  is  not  to  be  con- 
founded with  the  former,  but  that  the  Holy  Ghost  is  a  distinct 
person  in  the  Trinity. 


-,    f 


150 


EPISCOPAL    MKTITODIRM. 


ARTICLE  V. 


'ii 


THE    SUKKICIKNCY    OK    TIIK    HOLV    HCKII'TURES    FOR    SALVATION. 

"  The  Hrly  Scripturos  contain  nil  tliiiij^s  nocnssary  to  salviition  :  so 
that  ■whatsoever  is  not  read  theri'iii,  nor  may  be  proved  thert'lty.  is  not 
to  be  rctpiired  of  any  man  that  it  ^\\<  I  be  l)elieve(l  as  an  article  of 
faith,  or  be  thoni;ht  requisite  o'  necessary  to  salvation.  In  the  name 
of  tlie  Holy  Hcrijjtures  we  do  understand,  those  canonical  books  of  the 
Old  and  New  Testament,  of  whose  authority  was  never  any  doubt  in 
the  Church." 

"Tks  Names  ok  the  Canonit.m.  Books. 

The  First  Book  of  Chronielea, 


Genesis, 

Exodus, 

Leviticus, 

Numbers, 

Deuteronomy, 

Joahua, 

Judges, 

Ruth, 

The  First  Book  of  Samuel, 

The  Second  Book  of  Samuel, 

Tlie  First  Book  of  Kings, 

The  Second  Book  of  Kings, 


'I'Ik!  Seccmd  Book  of  Chronicles, 

Till!  Hook  of  Ezra, 

The  Book  of  Nehemiah, 

The  Book  of  Iv  .!ier, 

Tiie  Book  of  Job, 

The  Psalms. 

The  Proverbs. 

Ecclesiastes  or  the  Preacher, 

Canticles  or  the  Songs  of  Solomon, 

Four  Prophets  the  greater. 

Twelve  Prophets  the  less. 


"  All  the  'yooks  of  the  New  Testament  as  they  are  commonly  receiv- 
ed, we  do  :  ecei"e,  and  account  canonical." 

The  Art'.le  of  religion  now  under  consideration  is  of  great 
importance  to  the  Christian  Church,  fur  us  a  curse  is  pro- 
nounced against  those  who  add  to,  or  take  from  the  complete 
canon  of  Holy  Writ,  it  caimot  be  a  matter  of  indifference 
wlietlier  we  receive  more  than  what  God  has  revealed,  or 
whether  we  receive  hss  than  he  has  revealed.  On  the  ona 
hand,  it  is  important  to  reject  mere  tradition  as  a  rule  of  faith 
and  practice,  and  on  the  other  hand,  it  is  equally  important  that 
we  reject  nothing  which  God  has  revealed  to  man  through  the 
inspiration  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  It  is  well  known  that  Ivoman- 
ii^ts  and  Mormonites  claim  other  writings  as  standards  of  equal 


TIIF    nOLY    SCKII'TUHKH. 


ir.i 


.LVATION. 


)nlv  recoiv- 


.'inUinrity  witli  tht^  books  of  Scripluro  cinliract'd  in  llio  above 
-iilaloguc.  Tli(^  tbnnor  not  only  claim  tlu;  apocryi'lwil  books  a<» 
a  jiortiou  of  the  Canotiic'al  ^i-riptures,  but  assert  also  that  tra- 
dition is  e(jually  binding  on  mankind  with  the  Scriptures  of  tho 
Old  and  New  Testaments;  while  the  Mcrminis  claim  for  their 
golden  Ijible  the  sa'"o,  if  not  greater  authority  than  they  claim 
for  the  Word  of  God,  as  contained  in  the  books  of  Moses,  the 
Prophets,  and  the  New  TcstanitMit,  The  Mc^thodist  Church 
disclaiming  all  these,  asserts  that  the  books  of  the  <  >ld  and  New 
Testaments  are  the  "  oidy  rule  of  faith  and  practice,"  and  "that 
whatsoever  is  not  read  therein,  nor  may  be  proved  thereby  is 
not  to  bo  reipiired  of  any  man,  or  be  thought  necessary  to 
salvation."  Thus  while  care  is  taken  not  to  "  add  to"  tho 
Word  of  God,  equal  care  is  taken  not  to  tak*^  away  from  the 
Word  of  God,  as  the  manner  of  some  is,  for  it  is  a  well-known 
fact,  that  semi-infidelity,  und^'r  the  guise  of  Ciiristianity,  has, 
and  does  reject  a  portion  of  tho  Word  of  God.  The  books  lA' 
Job,  Songs  of  Solomon,  Ecclesiastes,  ..nd  Itevelation,  have  all 
been  rejected  by  these  "takers  from"  the  Word  of  God,  and 
the  object  of  the  Article  is  not  only  to  show  to  the  world  what 
kind  of  a  Bible  the  Methodists  believe  in,  but  to  preserve,  to 
all  generations,  the  pure  i  nadulterated  Word  of  God.  Tt  may 
also  bo  added,  that  wliile  all  the  books  of  the  Old  and  New 
Testaments  are  received  as  genuine  by  the  Methodist  Church, 
so  the  common  rendering  of  the  Scriptures  in  ■  the  Enn-lish 
language  by  King  James's  translators  is  acknowledged  to  be 
sufficiently  correct.  No  attempt  has  ever  l)een  made  by  tho 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  to  form  a  new  Bible,  or  to  modify 
the  old,  so  as  to  suit  her  particular  views.  Instead  of  bringing 
the  Bible  down  to  the  level  of  her  opinions,  her  object  has  beiui 
to  bring  the  latter  up  to  the  Bible,  and  she  denies  the  propriety 
of  altering  or  changing  tho  reading  of  the  sacred  text  by  any 
man  or  any  body  of  men  for  the  sake  of  propagating  more 
rapidly  their  sectarian  views  and  sen.timents. 

A  few  remarks  in  relation  to  the  uncorrupted  preservatiou 


i; 


i'ji  I 


152 


F.PISCOI'M,    MKTFIOlJISNf. 


of  the  books  of  the  <  )kl  and  Xevv  TfstaiiK'iils  may  not  be  c  *, 
of  j)l;i('<'.  Ill  j)roof  of  tlio  prosorvatioii  of  tln'  former,  the  follow- 
in<(  arijuments  Iiave  been  presented  by  distingiiishod  writers: 

1.  Th(!  Jews  Wen;  divided  into  a  number  of  scots,  each  one 
being  exceedingly  jealous  of  the  otlu-rs,  as  much  or  more  so 
than  Christian  sects  are  in  relation  to  each  other,  cunse([uentlv 
neither  sect  could  adulterate  or  mutilati!  the  (>ld  Testament 
Scriptures  without  (h'tectii>n  and  exposun*. 

2.  The  Jews,  with  all  their  faults,  had  a  <;reat  veneration  for 
the  Scriptures.  Every  word  and  letter  in  the  ditVen^nt  books 
was  counted  and  recorded,  so  that  even  the  alteration  of  asimde 
letter  could  not  well  escape  detection. 

3.  Our  Saviour  when  upon  earth  was  not  slow  in  reprovinj,' 
the  difTerent  sects  amon:^  the  Jews  for  their  various  faults  in 
relation  to  faith  and  practice,  but  he  nowhere  accuses  them  of 
altering  or  mutilatincf  the  Word  of  (rod — an  evidence  that  thev 
liad  not  done  so. 

4.  Since  the  Christian  era,  both  J(!ws  and  Christians  have 
liad  co]>ies  of  the  Old  'J'estament  Scriptures;  these,  )n  beiiiir 
now  compared  too'ether,  are  found  to  iv^rca  with  such  exactness 
as  is  truly  wonderful,  and  which  proves  their  uncorrupted 
preservation  until  the  present  time. 

In  relation  to  the  preservation  o(  the  New  Testament  Scrip- 
tures in  an  uncorru})ted  state  we  have  tlie  followinof  proofs : 

1.  The  number  of  Christian  sects  existin^^  since  the  days  of 
the  apostles,  each  liaviiio-  copies  of  tlKi  New  Testament  and 
watcliin<r  each  other  with  unwearied  vin'ilance,  so  that  had  an 
attempt  been  made  by  any  one  or  more  sects,  to  ciiaiiufe  or 
alter  the  commonly  received  version,  the  other  sects  would 
have  immediately  sounded  an  alarm  ;  as  may  be  illustrated  by 
the  case  of  the  Baptists  in  moih'rn  times,  some  of  wliom,  in 
their  zeal  for  immersion,  liave  translated  the  Bible,  so  as  to 
correspond  with  their  opinions  in  that  ivs])i'ct;  still  it  is  evident 
ti!,it  such  translation  can  never  i)e  adopted  to  any  very  great 
e.xtent,  and  that  the  alteration  of  the  commonly  received  ver- 


TriK    OI-I>    TKSTAMKNT. 


153 


fiion  of  tlio  1511)1(1  caimot  be  m.'ido  without  tho  fact  lu'CDiniiifj  a 
rnattfir  u\'  public  iiotoritjty  hiuI  exposintr  the  a<;c'iits  in  tho  mat- 
ter to  the  rcpnxjf  of  oth(;r  (Jliristiaii  sects. 

2.  The  earliest  copies  of  tho  several  books  ^>f  the  New  Tc^sta- 
iiient  Were  written  in  the  (ireek  !ai)!^UMu;'e.  Sev(M'al  translations 
were  made  at  an  early  period  of  these  several  books  into  other 
laiii]jua<;es.  The  latter  have  boon  compared  with  the  former, 
and  are  f()\md  to  ai^ree. 

.'^.  The  manuscript  copies  of  the  Now  Testament  are  very 
numerous;  three  hundred  of  them  were  compared  toii;ether  by 
the  celebrated  (Jriesbach,  and  altjioujrh  there  wore  found  vari- 
ous roadina;s,  as  mig'ht  be  expected,  yet  ncjt  a  sintrle  doctrine 
or  fact  is  atfectod  by  such  variety,  the  ditferonce  consisting 
mostly  in  tho  use  of  dilVerent  words  or  phrases  to  convey  the 
same  nieanino;.  From  these,  and  other  considerations,  tho 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  with  I'rotestant  denominations 
generally,  believing  in  the;  authenticity  of  tho  Scriptures  of  the 
Old  and  New  Testaments,  and  of  their  sulllciency  as  a  rule  of 
faith  ami  practice,  practically  adopt  tin;  motto,  "The  ]>il.)le,  the 
whole  Dible,  and  nothing  but  the  Uiblo." 


lent  .Scrip- 
proofs  : 
e  days  of 
ment  and 
at  had  an 
chaiiLTe  or 
ots   would 
Urated  by 
whom,  in 
so  as  to 
is  evident 
^'ory  great 
eived  ver- 


ARTICLE  VT. 

OF    Til  15    OLD    TESTAMENT. 

"  The  01(1  Testamont  is  not  contrary  to  the  New :  for  both  in  the 
01(1  and  New  Testaments  everlastin;f  life  is  offered  to  mankind  by 
Christ,  who  is  the  only  mediator  between  God  and  man,  beintj  both  God 
and  man.  Wherefore  tliey  are  not  to  be  lieard  who  feif^ti  that  the  old 
fathers  did  look  only  fur  transitory  promises.  Altiiough  the  law<fiveu 
from  God  by  Mose-*,  as  touching  ceremonies  and  rites,  doth  not  bind 
Cliristians,  nor  oiiiflit  the  civil  precepts  thereof  of  n(!ce-!sity  b(!  received  in 
any  commonwealth;  yet,  notwithstandimf,  no  Christian  whatsoever  is 
free  from  the  obedience  of  the  commandments,  commonly  called  moral.'" 

This  Article  teaches:  1st.  The  agreement  of  the  Old  and 
New  Testaments  in  relation  to  the  great  plan  of  human  re- 


15  t 


Kl'ISCOI'AL    METHODISM. 


^ 


M     > 
i 


(lemption  by  Jesus  Christ.  2d,  The  possibiHty  of  salvation  for 
the  inhabitants  of  tiie  Old  ur  Jewish  dispensation.  3d.  The 
abrogation  of  the  ceremonial  and  ritual  law  of  the  Jews. 
4th.  The  perpetuity  of  obligation  to  the  requirements  of  the 
moral  1;.  .  The  last  clause  of  the  Article  is  designed  to  bear 
a  constant  testimony  against  that  system  of  faith  called  "  Anti- 
nomianism,"  which  prevailed  largely  about  the  middle  of  the 
sixtefuth,  and  during  the  sev(niteenth  centuries  in  different 
parts  of  Europe,  and  which  has  been  partially  revived  within 
the  present  century  by  a  sect  called  "  Perfectionists."  This 
jvstem  of  faith  teaches  in  substance,  that  as  Christians  are  not 
under  law,  but  under  grace,  it  is  not  required  of  them  to  keep 
the  moral  law  ;  hence,  the  law  given  by  God  to  Moses,  as  contain- 
ed in  the  two  tables,  is  not,  in  their  opinion,  a  rule  of  practice, 
for  those  living  under  the  gospel  dispensation.  The  legitimate 
consequences  of  such  a  loose  code  of  morals  as  this,  may  be 
easily  imag'  ^ed,  and  it  is  pei'haps  owing  to  the  latent  existence 
of  this  kind  of  belief,  that  there  exists  among  (Christians  so 
called,  so  little  i-egard  for  the  precepts  of  the  Bible  and  the 
pure  and  wholesome  requirements  of  the  moral  law. 

That  the  latter  has  not  been  abrogated,  is  evident  from  the 
teachings  of  our  Saviour,  especially  where  he  says,  "Think  not 
that  I  am  come  to  destroy  the  law  or  the  prophets ;  I  am  not 
come  to  destroy  but  to  fulfil.  For  verily,  T  say  unto  you,  till 
heaven  and  earth  pass,  one  jot  or  one  tittle  shall  in  nowise  pass 
from  the  law  till  all  be  fulfilled.  Whosoever  therefore  shall 
break  one  of  these  least  commandments,  and  shall  teach  men 
60,  he  shall  be  called  the  least  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven." 
From  this  quotation  it  appears  evident  that  any  system  of  re- 
ligious faith,  whether  am(,)ng  Catholics  or  Protestants,  which 
nullities  or  abrogates  any  one  of  the  comina'.idments  of  the 
moral  law,  is  not  of  (^i^d,  and  is  to  be  abhorred  '.md  discoun- 
tenanced by  every  true  Christian. 


ORIGINAL    SIN. 


155 


ARTICLE  Vir. 


ORIGINAL    OR    RIRTII    SIX. 


"Original  .<in  staiuloth  not  in  the  fnllowinij  of  Adam  (as  the 
Pchigians  do  vainly  talk)  but  it  is  the  corruption  of  the  nat\n'e  of  every 
man,  that  naturally  is  engendered  of  the  otfspring  of  Adam,  whereby 
man  is  very  far  gone  from  original  righteousness,  and  of  his  own  nature 
inclined  to  evil,  and  that  contiimally." 

The  "  relfig-ians,"  referred  to  in  this  Article,  were  a  sect  who 
arose  about  the  fifth  century,  who  took  their  name  from  P((la- 
gius,  a  British  monk,  who  Hved  in  Rome,  and  who  taught  that 
mankind  are  born  into  the  world  as  pure  and  unspotted  as  was 
Adam,  when  he  tirst  came  out  of  the  forming  hand  of  his 
Creator,  and  that  they  have,  in  themselves,  the  natural  ability 
indej)eiident  of  the  internal  workings  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  to  re- 
pent of  their  sins  and  attain  to  the  highest  degrees  of  piety  and 
virtue.  As  the  latter  doctrine  is,  however,  referred  to  more 
particularly  in  the  following  Article,  we  will  allude  here  only  to 
the  sentiments  taught  in  the  one  before  us. 

The  doctrine  of  the  Article  is,  that  the  nature  of  every  man 

is  corrupt ;  that  he   is  born  unlioly  and  unclean  ;  that   lie  is 

totally  and  continually  inclined  to  evil ;  that  as  like  begets 

like,  and  as  Adam   begat  a  son  in  his  own  image,  so  all  the 

descendants  of  Adam   })artake  of  the  same  unholy  nature,  as 

naturally  and  necessarily  as  a  stream  partakes  (^f  tlie  nature  of 

the  fountain  from  which  it  flows.     Such  are  the  teachings  of 

this  Article  of  the  church,  and  the  doctrines  herein  set  forth  are 

abundantly  su[»ported   by  Scripture.     In   the    Kpistle   to   the 

Romans,  Paul  asserts  that  by  "  one  man's  <iisobedience  many 

were  made  sinners."     Reference  is  here  made  to  Adam's  sin, 

and  to  the  fact  that  such  sin  involves  all  his  descendants  in 

guilt  and  condemnation.     A  few  other  passiiges  will  lie  given 

m  support  of  this  doctrine.     "  The  heart  is  deceitful  above  hU 
12 


if*  ^f n 

w 

"  -it-'*  I 
'  all' 


feiill' 


I 


I5G 


EPISCOPAL    MKTIIODJSM. 


tliiri<rs  and  desperately  wicked."  And  God  saw  tlie  wickedness 
of  inaii  tiiat  it  was  great  in  the  earth  ;  and  that  every  imagina- 
tion of  the  thoughts  of  liis  lieart  was  only  evil  continually." 
"Out  of  it,"  the  heart,  "proceed  evil  tlioughts,  murders,  adul- 
teries, fornic'itioiis,  thefts,  false  witness,  blasphemies."  "  The 
carnal  iniiid  is  enmity  against  God  :  for  it  is  not  subject  to  the 
law  of  God,  neither  indeed  can  be."  "  Ixdiold  I  was  shanen 
in  iniquity,  and  in  sin  did  my  mother  conceive  me."  "  Sin 
that  dwelleth  in  me."  "  I  know  that  in  me,  that  is,  in  my 
flesh,  dwelleth  no  good  thing."  These  Scriptures  abundantly 
sustain  the  doctrine  of  the  Article,  and  we  may  here  remark 
that  the  whole  gosjtel  economy  proceeds  on  the  ground  of 
man's  natural  depravity,  and  not  merely  on  the  fact  that  man 
is  a  voluntary  transgressor. 


ARTICLE  VIII. 


OF    FIIKE    WILL. 


"The  coiiditioii  of  man  iift(;r  the  t'iill  of  A<lain  is  siicli  tliat  lie  rariiiot 
turn  and  prepare  liimself,  Ijy  liis  own  natural  strt'i\!j;th  and  works,  t() 
faitli  aiul  callinir  upon  God;  wherefore  we  liuve  no  jKUvcr  to  di  good 
works,  pleasant  and  acceptable  to  (}od,  witliout  the  ^race  of  God  by 
Christ  preventing  us,  that  we  niny  have  a  good-will,  and  working  with 
us,  when  we  have  that  g(jod-will  " 


This  Article  of  religion  stands  op]>osed  to  the  doctrine  advo- 
cated by  the  Pelagians  and  semi-i\'lagians,  who  teach  that 
man  has  power  in,  and  of  himself,  independently  of  the  work- 
ings of  the  Spirit  of  (lod,  to  repent,  believe,  and  obey  the  gos- 
pel ;  and  that  as  a  free  moral  agent,  he  has  j)ower  to  comply 
with  all  the  requirements  of  the  law  and  gospel,  without  the 
aid  of  the  lloly  Spirit.  While,  therefore,  the  doctrint-  of  free 
moral  agency  is  by  no  means  repudiated  or  denied  by  this  Arti- 
cle, n(nther  is  denied  by  the  commentators  and  ministers  of  the 


FIIEE    WILL. 


15'7 


Methodist  Church,  yet  it  is  not  adopted  as  an  Article  of  belief, 
involving  the  n-atural  ability  of  man  to  repent  and  turn  to  God, 
unaided  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  The  light  which  lighteneth  every 
man  which  cometh  into  the  world,  is,  however,  vouchsafed  to 
every  man,  so  that  while  destitute  of  the  Spirit's  influence, 
man  might  well  be  considered  as  dispossessed  of  a  free  moral 
power  to  do  good,  yet  with  such  influence  imparted,  his  free 
moral  agency  remains  unimpaired. 

The  doctrine  that  tr:an  may  convert  himself,  or  change  his 
own  heart,  is  certrtinly  not  the  doctrine  of  the  Bible.  The 
work  of  regeneration  is  purely  and  solely  the  work  of  God  by 
his  Spirit,  and  if  men  are  ever  "  born  again,"  it  will  not  be  the 
result  of  their  own  purpose  or  determination  to  become  pious, 
uninfluenced  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  but  the  S[)irit  "  working  in 
them  to  will  and  to  do  of  his  own  good  pleasure,"  will  lead 
them — if  they  obey  its  directions  and  yield  to  its  influences — 
into  the  paths  of  obedience  and  holy  enjoyment.  Thus  the 
"grace  of  (Jod  by  Christ"  must  prevent,  that  is,  go  before  us, 
"  that  we  may  have  a  good-will,"  and  when  that  good-will  is 
j)0ssessed,  the  same  grace  must  work  with,  and  in  us,  that  we 
may  "  do  good  works." 

The  views  thus  expressed  are  clearly  taught  in  the  word  of 
God.  Our  Saviour  said  to  his  disciples  and  others,  "  Without 
me  ye  can  do  nothing."  And  again  :  ■'  No  man  can  come 
unto  me,  except  the  Father  which  sent  me  draw  him."  The 
apostle  also  declares,  "  liy  grace  are  ye  saved  through  faith  ; 
and  that  not  of  yourselves  ;  it  is  the  gift  of  God."  Man,  also, 
in  manv  portions  of  Scripture,  is  represented  as  being  "  dead," 
"  asleep,"  etc.,  which  expressions  convey  an  idea  of  utter  help- 
lessness and  natural  inability,  while  the  exhortations,  commands, 
warnings,  threatiMiings,  and  promises,  all  jirove,  that  notwith- 
standing man's  natural  inabUldj  to  repent,  and  oI)ey,  a  gra- 
cious. ith'dUy  is  imparted  to  all  men  (or  that  j)urj)ose. 


.,^4; 


'Ma 


158 


EPISCOPAL   METHODISM. 


ARTICLE  IX. 

OF    THE   JUSTIFICATION    OF    MAN. 

"  We  are  accounted  righteous  before  God  only  for  the  merit  of  our 
Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ  by  faith,  and  not  for  our  own  works  or 
deservings:  wlierefore,  that  we  are  justified  by  faith  only,  is  a  most 
wholesome  doctrine,  and  very  full  of  comfort." 

The  doctrine  of  j  astificfition  by  faith  alone,  was  the  great 
point  of  contention  between  Martin  Luther  and  liis  Romish 
brethren.  It  was  in  fact  the  great  distino-uishing  doctrine  of 
the  Reformation  from  Popery  ;  and  while  jiopery  still  maintains 
its  position,  and  a  portion  of  the  protestant  church  are  hasting 
with  raj»id  strides  to  "  Rome,"  it  is  well  for  us  that  the  doctrine 
of  justification  by  faith  is  not  only  taught  in  our  Articles  of 
Faith,  but  sincerely  believed  and  plainly  advocated  from  our 
pulpit  and  our  press. 

It  is  well  known  that  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  discards 
the  above  doctrine,  and  maintains  in  the  most  pointed  manner 
the  merit  of  good  works,  and  our  justification  by  such  works.* 

*  "  I  see,"  said  Luther,  on  a  certain  occasion,  "  that  the  devil,  by  the 
means  of  his  teachers  and  doctors,  is  incessantly  attacking  this  funda- 
mental article,  and  that  lie  cannot  rest  to  cease  from  this  object. 
Well  then,  I,  Doctor  Martin  Jjuthcr,  an  unworthy  evangelist  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Chri.-t,  do  confess  tiiis  article,  '  tiiat  faitli  aloiu',  without 
works,  justifies  in  the  sight  of  God,'  and  I  declare  that  in  spite  of  the 
EmiKsror  of  the  llonians,  the  Emperor  of  the  Turks,  tlic  Kmperor  of 
the  Tartars,  the  Kiu|)er<)r  of  the  J'ersians,  the  Pope,  and  all  tlie  cardi- 
nals, bishops,  priests,  monks,  nuns,  kings,  princes,  nobles,  all  the  world, 
and  all  the  devils,  tiiis  doctrine  shall  stand  unshaken  forever  !  that  if 
they  will  persist  in  oppdsing  this  truth,  they  will  draw  upon  their 
heads  the  llanies  of  hell.  'I'his  is  the  tru(^  and  holy  gospel,  and  the 
declaration  of  me,  Doctur  Martin  Luther,  according  to  the  light  given 
unto  me  by  the  Holy  Spirit."  "  I  repeat  it  once  more  :  let  all  the 
evil  spirits  of  earth  and  heil  foam  and  rage  as  they  will,  this  is  nev- 
ertheless true." — Jlislufi/  of  Reformation,  page  172. 


'l'--'^ 


GOOD    WORKS. 


159 


Hence,  baplism,  penance,  indulgences,  ikc,  are  made,  not  only 
requisite  to  salvation,  but  in  their  view,  entitle  a  person  to  sal- 
vation, so  much  so,  that  the  Council  of  Trent  declares,  that  "if 
any  one  shall  say  that  a  wicked  man  is  justified  by  fiiith  alone, 
let  him  be  accursed."  Such  is  the  Roman  system  of  justifica- 
tion, which  stands  diametrically  opposed  to  the  plainest  declar- 
ations ol'  Scripture.  "  Being  justified  hy  faith,  we  have  peace 
with  God."  "  By  grace  are  ye  saved,  through  faith ;  and 
that  not  of  yourselves,  it  is  the  gift  of  God."  And  our  Saviour 
taught  his  disciples,  after  they  had  done  all  that  they  could,  to 
say,  "  We  are  unprofitable  servants." 


ARTICLE    X. 


OF    GOOD    WORKS 


"  Although  good  works,  which  are  the  fruits  of  faitli,  and  follow 
after  justification,  cannot  put  away  our  sins,  and  endure  the  severity 
of  God's  judgments,  yet  are  they  pleasing  and  acceptable  to  God  in 
Cljrist,  and  spring  out  of  a  true  and  lively  faith,  insomuch  that  by  them 
a  lively  fa  Mi  may  be  as  evidently  known,  as  a  tree  is  discerned  by  its 
fruit." 

Lest  any  should  suppose  that  the  doctrine  of  justification  by 
faith  alone  precludes  the  necessity  of  good  works,  the  above 
Article  very  properly  follows  the  preceding,  for  the  purpose  of 
showing,  that  a^  /^c/b/'c  justification,  good  works  are  impossible, 
so,  ff//('?- justification,  they  are  indispensable  to  the  existence  of 
;-  lively  faith.  It  may  therefore  be  considered  as  a  settled  doc- 
trine of  the  Methodist  Church,  that  a  man  in  a  state  of  enmity 
to  God,  and  while  under  the  condemnation  of  the  law,  caimot 
perform  works  pleasing  and  acceptable  to  God  ;  and  why  ?  be- 
cause "  whatsoever  is  not  of  faith,"  a  lively,  ^:iving,  operative 
faith,  "  is  sin,"  and  because,  that  "  without  faith  it  is  impossible 
to  please  God,"  and  because  the  "  carnal"  or  um-enewed  "  mind 


'^■. . 


\ii\ 


■'1 

■'t 


160 


Kl'ISCOPAL    MKTHOniSM. 


is  not  sul)j(,'ct  to  the  l;i\v  of  God,  neitlicr  indeed  can  be  ;"  and 
because  "  they  that  are  in  the  flesh  cannot  please  God."  Tliese 
phiin  and  pointed  texts  of  Scripture  conchisively  prove,  that  be- 
fore justification,  or  reconciliation  to  God,  the  works  of  the  sinner 
are  evil,  and  only  evil,  and  that  continually.  But  it  may  be 
objected,  "  tliat  a  work  may  in  itself  be  good,  even  while  per- 
formed l)y  a  rebel  against  (Jod  ;  that  a  wicked  man  may  sacri- 
fice iiis  life  for  the  sake  of  saving  from  death  a  fellow-creatare." 
This  may  be  so  ;  but  it  should  be  remembered  that  the  quality 
of  a  moral  action  depends  not  so  much  on  the  act  itself,  as  on 
the  motive  which  governs  the  act.  Thus,  "  Two  men  went  up 
into  the  temple  to  pray,  the  one  a  pharisee,  and  the  other  a 
publican" — both  prayed,  both  worshipped  God,  but  that  there 
was  a  great  dillerence  in  the  quality  or  character  of  their  acts, 
we  need  not  state  to  the  biblical  reader.  Men  may,  in  the 
performance  of  the  most  praiseworthy  acts,  be  governed  and 
influenced  solely  by  motives  of  pride,  vain-glory,  self-interest, 
regard  to  character,  compliance  with  custom,  &c.,  &c.,  without 
being  at  all  influenced  by  love  to  God  and  man,  while  the  true 
child  of  God,  "  whether  he  eat  or  drink,  or  whatsoever  he  does, 
he  does  all  to  the  glory  of  God." 

"Good  works,"  therefore,  in  the  language  of  the  Article, 
"  are  the  fniits  of  faith  ;"  they  are  also  the  evidence  of  faith  in 
a  collateral  sense.  Where  those  works  are  not  performed,  no 
evidence  is  given  of  the  existence  or  exercise  of  faith  in  the 
heart.  "  By  their  fruits  ye  shall  know  them."  lie  that  com- 
raitteth  sin  is  of  the  devil."  "  Whosoever  is  born  of  God  doth 
not  commit  sin,"  "  and  he  cannot  sin  because  he  is  born  of 
God."  These  passages  show  conclusively  that  holiness  and 
purity  of  hi'v  are  the  necessary  results  of  faith  in  (fod,  and  an 
evidence  of  being  God's  children. 


WOKKS    or    SUPKKKKOOATION. 


161 


AliTICLE  XT. 

OF    WOlsKS    OF    SUl'EHKROGATION'. 

"  Voluntary  worlds,  besides,  over  ami  above  God's  commandments, 
wliicli  are  called  works  of  supererogation,  cannot  be  taui,Mit  without 
arrogancy  and  impiety.  For  by  tlieni  men  do  derhue  tliat  thiiy  do 
not  only  rentier  unto  (rod  as  mucli  as  they  are  bound  to  do,  but  that 
tliey  do  more  i'or  his  siike  than  of  Ijounden  ihity  is  required:  whereas 
Christ  saith  plainly,  Wlien  ye  have  done  all  that  is  commanded  of  you, 
Bay,  we  are  unprolitable  servants." 

The  doctrine  of  this  Article  is  at  variance  with  the  faith  and 
pretensions  of  tlie  Romish  Church,  in  relation  to  works  of 
merit  and  of  supererogation.  The  idea  that  man  can  do  more 
than  God  requires,  and  that  there  is  absohite  merit  in  such 
overwork^  is  at  once  pre[)osterous  atid  unreasonable.  How  can 
a  man  wlm  owes  all  lie  has  and  all  he  is  to  God,  whose  time, 
tahnits,  iniliience,  obedience,  all  belong-  unreservedly  to  his 
Maker — who  is  required  to  keep  the  whole  law  in  every  j)oint, 
and  who,  if  he  does  so,  is  after  all  an  un[)rotitable  servant — 
how  can  such  an  one  do  more  than  God  requires?  Tiie  thing 
is  absolutely  impossible,  and  the  doctrine  of  works  of  superer- 
ogation is  clearly  the  "  doctrine  of  devils,"  invented  for  the 
sake  of  the  "  price  of  indulgences,"  the  "  thirty  pieces  of 
silver,"  by  which  Christ  is  daily  betrayed,  and  God  is  liou-ly 
robbed  of  his  glory. 

ARTICLE  XIT. 

OF    SIN    AFTER    .irSTlFICATIOX. 

"Not  every  sin  Avilling.y  committed  after  justiticaticn  is  the  sin 
against  the  Holy  rrliost,  and  unpardonable.  Wherefore,  the  grant  of 
repentance  is  not  to  be  denied  to  such  as  fall  into  sin  after  justitication: 
after  we  receive  the  Holy  (J host,  we  may  depart  from  grace  given,  and 
fall  into  sin,  and  by  the  grace  of  God  rise  again,  and  amend  oar  lives. 


J 


102 


KI'ISCOPAL    MKTHOniSM. 


And  tliereforo  tliey  nri^  to  l)e  oomJeinned  wlio  say  tlioy  can  m  moro  f'm 
118  loi)}^  as  they  livo  hcrc! :  or  deny  the  peace  of  forj^ivonens  to  such  aa 
truly  repent." 

Our  Saviour,  wlien  on  earth,  spoke  of  tlio  "sin  against  the 
Holy  Ghost"  a.s  being  unpardonable;  as  neither  being  entitled 
to  forgiveness  "  in  this  world  or  in  the  world  to  come."  A 
difference  of  opinion  has  obtained  among  commentators  in  rela- 
tion to  what  constituted  the  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost,  and 
whether  such  sin  can  now  be  committed  by  any  man.  With- 
out entering  into  a  discussion  of  the  subject,  we  may  simply 
state,  that  the  strong  probability  is,  that  this  sin  consists  in 
attributing  the  miracles  wrought  by  Jesus  Christ  to  the  agency 
of  the  devil ;  as  in  the  case  of  tliose  who  accused  tlie  Saviour 
of  "casting  out  devils  through  Beelzebub,  the  prince  of  the 
devils."  That  the  possibility  of  committing  the  unpardonable 
sin  was  not  confined  to  the  life-time  of  our  Saviour  on  earth, 
appears  evident  from  the  assertion  of  John,  1  John  v.  10, 
"There  is  a  sin  unto  death;  I  do  not  say  that  he  shall  i)ray 
for  it,"  and  we  believe  the  same  idea  is  intended  to  be  convey- 
ed by  the  apostle  Paul,  when,  in  speaking  of  those  who  had 
been  once  enlightened,  &c.,  says,  "  It  is  impossible  to  renew 
them  again  unto  repentance,  seeing  they  crucify  to  themselves 
the  Son  of  God  afresh,  and  put  liim  to  an  open  shame."  But 
in  the  language  of  the  Article,  it  is  not  every  sin  willingly  com- 
mitted after  justification  which  is  the  sin  against  the  Holy 
Giiost;  a  good  man  may  fall  into  sin,  lose  his  state  of  justifica- 
tion before  God,  as  in  the  case  of  David,  and  like  him  may  re- 
pent and  be  restored  again  to  the  "joys  of  salvation." 

As  the  question,  whether  the  child  of  God  may  so  fully  and 
finally  fall  away  as  to  be  forever  lost,  is  not  settled  by  the 
Article  before  us,  we  will  reserve  our  remarks  on  this  particular 
point  for  another  Article.  But  before  we  dismiss  this  Article, 
the  doctrine  taught  near  the  close  of  the  same  is  worthy  of 
particular  notice,  "  They  are  to  be  condemned  who  say  they 
can  nc  more  sin  as  long  as  they  live  here." 


1 


THK    CIIURCir. 


103 


The  object  of  this  part  u\'  the  Artich^  is  to  n;u:ir(l  nipu  nijainst 
the  foolislj  and  daiii(<M'()iis  doctriiK',  that  after  justification  a 
person  may  <h>  what  h<'  ))leases  and  still  retain  his  justitication  ; 
that  lie  may,  as  a  child  of  God,  commit  adultery,  fornication, 
murder,  ifcc,  and  yet  these  acts  not  ha  considered  sinful  in  the 
sight  of  God,  because,  forsooth,  he  is  a  child  of  dod  !  That 
such  diabolical  sentiments  have  been  entertained  by  many,  and 
are  yet  entertained  by  some,  there  can  be  no  doubt,  and  hence 
the  manifest  j»ropriety  of  g-uardiiig  the  Church  against  a  doc- 
trine that  must  })rove  destructive,  wherever  it  is  embraced,  to 
the  interests  of  true  religion,  virtue,  and  morality.  The  text, 
"  he  cannot  sin  because  he  is  born  of  (iod,"  yields  no  support 
whatever  to  this  pernicious  doctrine,  for  the  design  of  the 
apostle  evidently  is  to  show  that  he  that  is  born  of  (sod,  and 
would  ha\t^  an  abiding  evidenc<i  of  the  fact,  can  have  it  only 
by  al)staining  from  the  comiiiission  of  every  sin  ;  that  he  "can- 
not sin"  and  retain  such  evidence,  or  remain  a  child  of  God. 

The  last  clause  of  the  Article  is  also  instructive,  as  it  teaches 
not  only  the  possibility  of  obtaining  forgiveness  at  the  hand 
of  God  when  sin  is  committed  after  justilication,  but  the  im- 
portance of  extending  our  forgiveness  to  our  erring  brethren, 
provided  that  in  both  cases  there  is  true  repentance  exercised 
by  the  otteuder. 


ARTICLE   XIIT. 


OV   THE    CHUHCn. 


"  Tlic  visible  Church  of  Christ  is  a  congregation  of  faitlif'ul  men,  in 
■which  tlie  pure  word  of  Cod  is  preached,  and  tlie  siicrainents  duly  ad- 
ministered, according  to  Clirist's  ordinance  in  all  tilings,  tluit  of  neces- 
sity are  requisite  to  the  same." 

This  Article  teaches,  1.  That  the  visible  Church  of  Christ  is 
a  congreyatloa  or  assemblage  of  faithful  men  ;  that  it  does  not 


<      M 


^Jld 


K  a) 


IGi 


KPISrOPAL    MRTIlODrSM. 


f.  '  tii 


I      ; 


consist  of  I  lie  pojic,  or  his  councils,  or  tlio  priesthood,  nor  r)f 
any  order  or  body  of  bisliops  or  ministers  exclusively,  but  of  :i 
" conii^re^'iitioti  of  faithful  men,"  ctuljracini^  the  laity  as  well  as 
the  priesthood  or  ministry  of  the  church. 

2.  The  Church  is  composed  of  "'faillifiil  men,"  and  although 
the  "  wheat  and  tares"  are  necessarily  found  too-i-ther,  and  will 
contiiuie  so  to  be  found  until  the  "harvest,"  yet  the  true 
Church  consists  only  of  those  who  are  faithful  ;  of  all  others, 
be  they  popes,  cardinals,  archbishops,  biKhops,  priests,  deacons, 
or  m(!mbers,  it  may  be  said,  as  of  Simon  of  old,  "  they  have 
neither  part  nor  lot  in  the  matter,  for  their  hearts  are  not  right 
in  the  si<;ht  of  God." 

3.  "'J'he  /turn  word  of  God  is  preached"  in  the  (Church  ; 
not  the  decrees  of  popes,  the  decisions  of  councils,  the  tradi- 
tions of  the  fathers  ;  not  some  line  system  of  morality,  indepen- 
dent of  the  «i'ospel,  or  piiilosophical  disquisitions  on  abstract 
questions  of  science,  literature,  or  art;  but  the  pure  word  of 
God, — "Jesus  Christ  and  him  crucified," — is  preached  and  ex- 
pounded witli  ail  due  ministerial  fidelity. 

4.  The  Sacraments  are  duly  oxlministered.  The  sacrament 
of  baptism  and  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper  are  duly 
administered,  not  by  any  and  every  person  choosing  to  admin- 
ister the  same,  but  by  those  who  are  called  by  God  and  his 
Church  to  the  sacred  work  of  the  ministry. 

Where  all  these  thinors  are  found — a  con2;re2;ation  of  faith- 
ful  men,  the  preaching  of  the  pure  word  of  God,  and  the  due 
administration  of  the  sacraments — there  is  a  true  Church  of 
Jesus  Clirist,  let  it  be  called  by  what  distinctive  a))pellation  it 
may,  and  let  it  be  organized  on  what  ecclesiastical  basis  it  may 
— there  is,  we  repeat,  a  true  Church  of  Christ,  against  which 
"  the  gates  of  hell  cannot  prevail." 


PlIR(iATOKV. 


IQo 


AllTICLE  XIV. 


OF  I'UKCATOKY. 


"Tlie  RoniH'li  aoctrino  coru^criiin;,'  puri,'atory,  pardon,  worshippini,', 
an.l  adoration,  as  well  of  iniaLces  nr-.  of  ri'lic-J,  and  also  invocation  of 
eamift,  ia  a  lond  thing  vainly  invented,  and  j^rounded  upon  no  warrant 
of  Scripime,  but  rep>:gnant  to  the  word  oi'tJod." 

The  doclrine  of  puro;at»)ry,  it  is  well  known,  is  one  of  the 
tlistinctive  fe;auivs  of  the  Uouiish  Church,  and  it  is  also  true 
that  the  ductri'io  is  iaMoht,  if  ik  t  in  name,  yet  in  fact  by 
moJcrn  Ji(jstorationisis,  and  some  other  I'rotvstant  sects,  and 
yet  such  a  doctrine  is  evidently  without  support  from  the  word 
of  (.!od.  In  no  phice  in  th.at  word  do  we  read  of  the  puro-ato- 
rial  fires  of  a  middle  state.  ( >n  the  contrary,  mankind  are 
divided  by  the  sacred  writers  into  two  great  classes — the 
righteous  and  the  wicked  ;  and  their  future  and  eternal  desti- 
nation is  heaven  or  hell.  The  most  important  text  relied  upon 
by  the  advocates  of  purgatory  in  support  of  this  dogma,  is  the 
one  in  1  Peter  iii.  18,  20,  where  Christ  is  represented  as 
preaching  "  to  the  spirits  in  prison,  who  were  disobedient  in  the 
days  of  Noah."  It  is  agreed  upon  by  the  best  biblical  critics, 
howsver,  that  the  meaning  of  the  passage  simply  is,  that 
Christ  went  and  preached,  through  Noah,  to  the  antediluvians 
who  were  disobedient,  and  who  were  in  the  prison  of  hell  at 
the  time  in  wdiich  the  apostle  wrote  the  epistle.  But,  admit- 
ting, even,  that  Christ,  after  he  "was  j)ut  to  death  in  the  flesh, 
and  quickened  in  the  spirit,  went  and  preached  to  the  spirits 
in  prison,"  what  support  does  this  give  to  the  fabled  doctrine 
of  purgatory  ?  The  term  "  preach,"  as  found  in  the  original 
Greek,  it  is  well  known,  signifies  simi)ly  "  to  proclaim,  to  an- 
nounce as  a  herald,"  &c.,  and  in  itself  nowhere  signifies  to 
preach  the  gospel,  or  deliverance  from  punishment,  unless  the 
connection  requires  such  a  meaning.   John  "  preached"  repent- 


,  I    'i 


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s^. 


>, 


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IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


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■nwP!- 


»  "I  JI  !^!l,    «  JJ  . 


100 


EPISCOPAL    METHODISM. 


I     "h 


ance ;  Christ  "  preacliod"  deliverance  to  captives  on  earth  ;  the 
apostle  says,  "  preach  the  word,"  and  in  all  these  cases  the 
matter  of  preaching  is  determined,  not  by  the  word  preach,  but 
by  the  words  used  in  connection  with  the  same.  So  that 
could  It  be  proved  that  Christ  went  and  preached  after  his 
death  to  the  spirits  in  the  prison  of  hell,  what,  after  all,  could 
be  inferred  therefrom  ?  Simply  a  declaration  or  announcement 
of  the  fact  of  his  death,  which  no  doubt  had  been  predicted  to 
the  unbelieving  antediluvians,  and  the  fulfilment  of  which  pre- 
diction would  Perve  only  to  increase  their  misery,  as  the  an- 
nouncement of  the  same  would  their  guilt  and  condemnation. 

The  Komish  doctrine  of  pardon  is  also  protested  against  in 
the  Article.  It  is  a  well-established  fact  that  the  pope,  bishops, 
and  priests  of  Rome,  claim  the  power  to  absolve  the  offender, 
and  ])ardon  the  transgressor,  but  it  is  also  certain  that  none 
can  foro-ive  sins  but  Cod  only,  so  that  the  Romich  doctrine  on 
this  point  is  as  false  as  it  is  dangerous. 

Worshij)ping  images,  relics,  and  the  invocation  of  saints,  are 
also  condemned  by  this  article  of  religion ;  and  \t  is  a  gratify- 
ing fact  that  the  Methodists  have  always  been  at  tJie  farthest 
remove  from  the  introduction  of  images,  pictures,  embellish- 
ments, (fcc,  into  their  churches,  while  it  is  to  be  deplored  that 
in  some  Protestant  churches  a  disposition  is  manifest<»d  to  re- 
turn to  the  Romish  practice  of  decorating  the  house  of  God 
with  pictures  and  images,  crosses  and  candlesticks,  which,  if  not 
worshipped,  are  nevertheless  the  means  of  drawing  the  atten- 
tion of  the  worshippers  from  the  only  proper  object  of  viom- 
tion — God  the  creator.  "Thou  shalt  worship  the  Lord  thy 
God,  and  him  only  shalt  thou  serve,"  is  the  positive  command 
of  Jehovah  himself. 


tl 


wm^^^P^mi^^^^l^^mfmmfl'm 


i^i^mmm 


THK    SACRAMKNT8. 


167 


ARTICLE  XV. 

OF    SPEAKING    IN    THE    CONGREGATION    IN    SUCH    A   TONGUE  AB 
THK    I'EOPLK    UNDKRSTAND. 

"  It  18  a  thing  plainly  repugnant  to  the  word  of  God,  and  the  custom 
of  the  primitive  church,  to  have  public  prayers  in  tlie  church,  or  to  ad- 
minister the  sacraments,  in  a  tongue  not  understood  by  the  people." 

That  the  practice  condemned  by  this  Ar*"  le  is  unscriptural 
there  can  be  but  little  doubt,  if  we  but  examine  the  language 
of  Paul  in  1  Cor.  xiv.  10,  "Else  when  thou  shalt  bless  with  the 
spirit,  how  shall  he  that  occupieth  the  room  of  the  Unlearned, 
say  Amen  at  thy  givino'  of  thanks,  seeing  he  understandeth  not 
what  thou  sayest?"  The  practice  of  speaking  in  an  unknown 
tongue,  or  a  tongue  not  understood  by  the  peoj)lc',  is  not  con- 
fined to  the  Romish  Church.  Modern  sectaries  have,  in  their 
infatuation,  pretended  to  be  endued  with  the  gift  of  tongues, 
but  for  what  particular  purpose  does  not  appear.  The  apostles, 
indeed,  were  endued  with  this  gift,  but  it  was  for  the  purpose 
of  enabling  the  inhabitants  of  different  portions  of  the  earth  to 
hear,  every  man  in  his  own  "  tongue,  the  wonderful  works  of 
God ;"  but  these  modern  pretended  linguists  speak  in  tongues 
which  no  one — we  doubt  even  themselves — can  understand. 
Such  solemn  mockery  ought  to  be  discountenanced  by  every 
Christian,  and  while  the  church,  through  her  ministers,  preaches 
to,  or  prays  for  the  people,  let  it  be  done  in  buch  language  as 
the  people  may  understand  and  say  Amen !     "  So  be  it." 

ARTICLE  XVL 

OF    THE    SACRAMENTS. 


"  Sacraments,  ordained  of  Christ,  are  not  only  badges,  or  tokens,  of 
Christian  men's  professions ;  but  rather  they  are  certain  signs  of  grace 
and  of  God's  good-will  toward  us,  by  the  which  he  doth  work  invisibly 


I^"P 


lOS 


EPISCOPAL    MKTHODTSM. 


ill  us,  and  rlotli  not  only  quiclci^n  but  a\m  strcngtliPH  and  confirm  their 
faith  in  him. 

"TJiero  aro  two  saoramrnts  ordained  of  Christ  our  Lord  in  the  gos- 
pel; that  is  to  say,  haptism  and  the  supper  of  the  Lord. 

"'I'hose  tive  odinuioiily  Called  sacraments,  that  is  to  say,  confirma- 
tion, penance,  orders,  matrimony,  and  extreme  unction,  are  not  to  ho 
accounted  for  sacraments  of  the  gospel,  being  such  as  have  partly 
grown  out  of  the  corrupt  following  of  the  apostles,  and  partly  are 
states  of  life  allowed  in  the  Scriptures,  but  yet  have  not  the  like  nature 
of  bajitism  and  the  Lord's  Supper,  because  they  have  not  any  visible 
sign  or  ceremony  ordained  of  God. 

''  The  sacraments  were  not  ordained  of  Christ  to  be  ga/xJ  upon,  or 
carried  about,  but  that  we  should  daily  use  them.  And  in  such  only 
as  worthily  receive  the  same  they  have  a  wholesome  effect  or  opera- 
tion ;  but  they  that  receive  them  unworthily,  purchase  to  themselves 
condenmation,  as  St.  Paul  saith  in  1  Cor.  xi.  20." 


Tho  tenn  sacrament  is  dorivod  from  the  Latin  word  sacra- 
men  fa  m,  and  means  a  sacred  ceremony,  or  oath  of  fidelity.  It 
is  not  a  scriptural  term,  and  is  used  only  by  way  of  accommo- 
dation, to  sijTnify  the  solemn  enorao^ement  into  which  Christians 
enter  with  their  Lord  wV.enever  they  observe  the  sacraments  of 
the  church.  "  A  sacrament,"  says  the  learned  Burnett,  in  his 
Exposition  on  the  Articles,  "  is  an  institution  of  Christ,  in  which 
some  material  thino;  is  sanctified  by  the  use  of  some  form  of 
words,  in  and  by  which  federal  acts  of  this  relijrion  do  pass  on 
both  sides ;  on  ours,  by  stipulations,  professions,  or  vows — and 
on  God's,  by  his  secret  assistances  ;  by  these  we  are  also  united 
to  the  bodv  of  Christ,  whicli  is  the  church." 

Afr.  Watson  observes,  in  regard  to  tlie  sacraments,  thai' 
"  they  are  seals,  as  well  as  signs ;  that  they  afford  pledges  on 
the  part  of  God,  of  grace  and  salvation ;  that  as  a  covenant 
has  two  parties,  our  external  acts  in  receiving  the  sacraments 
are  indications  of  certain  states  and  dispositions  of  our  mind 
with  regard  to  God's  covenant,  without  whicli  none  can  have 
a  personal  participation  in  its  benefits,  and  so  the  sacrament  is; 
useless  where  these  are  not  found ;  that  these  are  words  of  in- 


•■•■i^ 


BAPTISM. 


169 


stitution,  and  a  proinise  also  by  which  the  sign  and  tho  thing 
signified  are  connected  togetlier." — (  Watson's  Institutes,  vol. 
ii.  p.  Gil.)  With  the  views  of  these  distinguished  men  before 
us,  we  learn  that  a  sacrament  is  a  sign  or  pledge  between  God 
and  man ;  a  covenant  into  whicli  we  solemnly  enter  with  the 
Almighty,  whereby  obedience  and  love  are  promised  on  the 
one  part,  and  the  gracious  offer  of  salvation  on  the  other, 
through  the  merits  of  Jesus  Christ ;  that  they  are  badges  of  a 
Christian  profession,  and  channels  or  means  of  grace. 

The  Romish  Church  has  seven  sacraments,  as  mentioned  in 
the  Article ;  but  of  these,  five  do  not  partake  of  the  nature  of 
a  sacranunt,  inasmuch  as  they  are  wanting  in  the  essential 
qualities  of  a  federal  act,  or  mutual  covenant  between  God  and 
man.  Baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper  only  are  recognized  as 
sacraments  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 


ARTICLE  XVIL 


OF  BAPTISM. 


"  Baptism  is  not  only  a  sign  of  profession,  and  mark  of  difference, 
whereby  Christians  arc  distinguishccl  from  otliers  that  are  not  bap- 
tized :  but  it  is  also  a  sign  of  regeneration,  or  the  new  birth.  The 
baptism  of  young  children  is  to  be  retained  in  the  church."' 

/s  the  subject  of  baptism  has  created  no  little  Controversy 
among  Christians,  it  may  be  proper  to  dwell  somewhat  at 
length  on  the  doctrine  taught  in  this  Article,  and  in  doing  so 
we  would  invite  the  attention  of  the  reader  to  the  origin,  na- 
ture, subjects,  and  mode  of  baptism. 

1.  Baptism,  as  an  ordinance,  was  pvohahly  instituted  by 
God  in  the  earliest  period  of  the  histo^-y  of  fallen  man  ;  it 
probably  originated  at  the  time  when  sacnficial  offerings  were 
first  required  by  God,  but  there  is  iio  positive  scriptural  evi- 
dence that  the  rite  of  baptism  was  known  until   the  time  of 


y\ 


V 


^ 


170 


KI'ISCOPAL    METHODISM, 


Moses,  at  wliiclj  time,  and  ever  since,  baptism  has  been  reco^ 
nized  as  an  ordinance  of  the  Jewish  Churcli.  That  baptism  ia 
of  as  ancient  date  as  tlie  institution  of  the  Jewish  econoniy,  is 
evident  from  the  fact  that  reference  is  continually  made  in  the 
Levitical  law  and  Mosaic  history  to  the  washings  and  purifications 
required  under  that  dispensation.  Ii  is  true,  the  words  baptize 
or  baj)tism  are  not  found  in  the  Mosaic  scriptures ;  and  wliy  ? 
liecause  the  Jewisli  scriptures  were  written  in  Hebrew,  and  the 
words  themselves  are  of  (Jreek  etymoloijy;  and  the  earliest 
translations  of  the  Scriptures  from  Hebrew  into  (ireek  was 
made  about  twelve  hundred  years  after  they  were  written  by 
Moses,  and  only  about  three  hundred  years  befure  the  Christian 
era.  It  is  not,  therefore,  to  be  wondered  at,  that  the  words 
themselves  are  not  found  in  the  five  books  of  Moses,  or  indeed, 
in  any  of  the  prophets,  i^ut  is  the  thinf/  to  be  found  there  ? 
'J'hat  it  is  so  is  evident  from  the  fact,  that  the  translators  of  the 
earliest  Greek  copies,  made  soon  after  the  (Jreek  language 
came  into  common  use  among  the  Jews,  render  the  Hebrew 
of  wash,  pui'ifi/,  <fcc.  by  the  term  baptize,  so  that  all  the  wash- 
ings done  under  the  law  were  so  many  acts  of  baptism  per- 
formed by  the  subject,  or  administered  by  the  ])riest.  In  proof 
of  this  we  give  a  few  examples.  Heb. :  "  He  that  washeth 
himself  after  the  touching  of  a  dead  body,  if  he  touch  it  again, 
what  availeth  his  washing?"  (ireek  :  "He  that  is  baptized 
from  ;i  dead  body,"  Szc.  "  what  availeth  his  washing  ?"  Judith 
"went  out  in  the  night  and  washed  (Heb.)  baptized  (Greek) 
herself  at  a  fountain  in  the  camp."  "  And  when  they  came 
from  the  market  they  eat  not  except  they  wash  (baptize)  their 
hands."  These  instances  are  sufficient  to  show  that  baptism 
was  not  an  ordiiiance  unknown  to  the  Hebrews,  and  that,  too, 
at  a  very  early  period  in  their  history. 

2.  The  nature  of  baptism.  (1.)  It  is  a  figurative  ordinance, 
symbolical  of  our  death  unto  sin  and  our  being  born  again 
from  above  ;  of  bi-ing  jnn-ified  by  the  water  of  regeneration  and 
receiving  of  the  Holv  Ghost.     This  ordinance  is  not  designed 


Tfi"? 


BAPTISM. 


171 


to  represent  the  suft'erings,  death,  and  resurrection  of  Jesus 
Christ,  as  some  suppose.  The  ordinance  of  the  Lord's  Supper 
"shows  forth  the  death  of  Christ  until  his  coming  again;"  and 
it  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  there  would  be  two  distinct  ordi- 
nances signifying  one  and  the  same  thing.  The  phrase  "  being 
buried  with  Christ  by  baptism,"  has  no  reference  whatever  to 
the  external  rite,  but  to  the  internal  death  to  sin.  So  also  the 
phrase  "  risen  with  Christ,"  has  no  reference  to  an  external 
rite,  but  to  the  life  of  righteousness,  or  the  life  of  God  in  the 
soul. 

(2.)  Baptism  is  a  sign  of  profession ;  a  rite  which  was  insti- 
tuted under  the  law,  and  is  retained  under  the  gospel,  as  the 
distinguishing  mark  or  sign  of  a  profession  of  faith.  As  the 
generic  term  to  bajytize  means  to  purify  and  cleanse,  not  only 
is  there  in  baptism  a  sign  of  inward  moral  cleansing,  but  a  sign 
of  outward  moral  Cijnformity  to  the  law  of  God  and  the  rules 
of  his  church  on  earth. 

(3.)  liaptism  is  also  considered  as  the  door  or  entrance  into 
the  visible  church.  "  He  that  believeth  and  is  baptized  shall 
be  saved."  "  Repent  and  be  baptized."  "  Then  were  they 
baptized,  both  men  and  women."  "Then  Philip  baptized 
him,"  are  passages  which  clearly  sliow  that  water-baptism  is 
designed  to  be  an  initiatory  rite,  and  that  in  this  way  men  are 
generally  to  be  received  into  the  church.  We  say  generally^ 
for  we  dare  not  say  that  no  person  can  be  a  member  of  the 
household  of  faith  without  water-baptism  ;  tor  we  know  not 
that  the  apostles  even  were  ever  baptized,  except  in  the  wash- 
ing of  feet;  but  as  a  general  rule  baptism  is,  and  ought  to  be 
the  initiatory  rite. 

(4.)  Baptism  partakes  of  the  nature  of  a  covenant  between 
God  and  man,  and  in  this  appears  its  true  sacramental  charac 
ter.  Under  the  Abrahamic  dispensation  God  made  a  covenant 
with  the  "  father  of  the  faithful,"  to  be  a  God  lo  him  and  to 
bis  seed  after  him  in  all  their  generations.  This  covenant  was 
an  everlasting  one,  and  the  rite  of  (.ircumcision  was  instituted 
13  I 


^SSBSBSaS 


mam 


mm 


172 


KI'lSCOl'AL    MHIHODISM. 


^, 


as  the  visible  sign  or  seal  of  tliia  covenant,  which  embraced 
Bpiritual  Ijlcssings,  designed  not  only  tor  tlie  fiUure  generations 
of  the  Jews,  as  a  i»eo[)le,  but  for  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  : 
**  In  thee,  and  in  thy  seed,  shall  a/l  the  nations  of  the  earth  be 
blessed."  This  covenant  remained  in  force  after  the  introduc- 
tion of  Christianity,  jus  is  fully  proved  by  the  apostlt^  Paul : 
"They  which  are  of  faith,  the  satne  are  the  children  of  Abra- 
ham," and  again,  "  That  the  blessings  of  Abraham  might  come 
on  the  gentiles  through  Jesus  Christ." 

Under  the  gospel,  however,  the  rite  of  circumcision  gave 
]»lace  to  the  more  ccjiressive  and  simple  one  of  baptism,  as  the 
si<rn  or  token  of  thci  Abrahaniic  coviMiant.  This  is  evident 
from  the  words  o^  the  same  apostle  :  "  For  as  many  of  you  as 
have  been  bapti/.ed  into  Christ,  have  put  on  Christ."  "There 
is  neither  Jew  nor  (ireek,  for  ye  are  all  one  in  Christ."  "  And 
if  ye  are  Christ's,  then  are  ye  Abraham's  seed,  and  heirs  accord- 
ing to  the  promise."  How  positively  clear,  frojn  this  lan- 
guage, is  the  perpetuity  of  the  covenant,  and  the  institution  of 
baptism  as  the  sign  and  seal  of  the  same  ?  l^ut,  if  circumcision 
under  the  gospel  was  done  away,  and  the  rite  of  baptism  does 
not  take  the  place  thereof,  wo  ask,  what  t)ther  sign  or  seal  has 
(iod  instituted  in  place  of  circumcision  ?  If  none,  then  is  there 
no  visible  outward  sign  of  the  perpetual  covenant  made  between 
(jcod  and  man. 

8.  Tiie  subjects  of  baptism  may  now  be  properly  considered. 

(1.)  All  admit  that  adult  believers  are  proper  subjects  of 
baptism  ;  on  this  point  there  is,  and  can  be,  no  dispute. 

(2.)  True  iienitents  are  also  proper  subjects  of  baptism. 
This  we  learn  from  the  ;  nswer  of  Peter  to  those  who  were 
pricked  in  their  hearts,  and  asked,  "  What  shall  we  do  ?"  The 
reply  was,  "  Repent,  and  be  baptized,  every  one  of  you,  for 
the  remission  of  sins,  and  ye  shall  receive  the  gift  of  the  Holy 
Ghost."  Now,  it  is  evident  that  these  persons  were  not  be- 
lievers in  the  sense  of  being  regenerate;  unless  regenerating 
faith  precedes  repentance  for  sin,  for  they  were  first  to  repent. 


nAPTISM. 


173 


Becondly,  to  be  baptized,  "  for" — in  order  to — the  remission  of 
sins,  and,  thirdly,  as  the  result  of  such  repentance  and  baptism 
they  were  taught  to  expect  tlie  gift  of  the  Holy  Gliost. 
Another  prominent  example  of  the  baptism  of  penitents  is 
given  in  the  case  of  the  apostle  Paul.  After  being  arresti'tl  by 
the  light  and  voice  from  heaven,  he  fasted  and  }>rayed  in  blind- 
ness, natural  and  sj>iritual,  for  three  days.  In  this  condition 
Ananijis  finds  him  ;  his  natural  sight  returns,  but  spiritual 
darkness  remains,  and  then  Ananias  says  to  him,  "  Why 
tarriest  thou  ?  Arise,  and  be  baptized,  and  ivash  aioay  thy 
sins,  calling  on  the  name  of  the  Lord."  From  this  example  it 
appears  that  baptism  is  both  a  means  and  seal  of  pardon,  and 
consequently  that  true  penitents  may,  nay,  ought  to  be  bap* 
tized. 

(3.)  Infants  are  projier  subjects  of  Christian  baptism.  This 
doctrine  is  fairly  taught  in  the  Article  :  "  The  baptism  of 
voung  children  is  to  be  retained  in  the  church,"  and  it  is 
scarcely  any  the  less  clearly  taught  in  the  word  of  God,  except- 
ing that  there  is  not  a  clear  command  to  that  eflect  in  so  many 
words.  But  the  absence  of  sucli  an  ex})ress  comniand  does 
not,  in  our  opinion,  invalidate  the  doctrine  of  inf  mt  baptism. 

That  infants  are  scrij)tural  subjects  of  baptism  appears  from 
the  following  considerations  : — 

1.  "The  perpetuity  of  the  Abrahamic  covenant,"  which  in 
eluded  children  as  well  as  adults.     The  perpetuity  of  this  cove 
nant  has  already  been  alluded  to  in  a  preceding  page,  and 
need  not  be  here  rei)eated. 

2.  "The  eligibility  of  children  to  church  membership."  That 
infants  were  membei-s  of  the  Jewish  church  is  evident  from  the 
fact  of  their  circumcision,  which  was  the  initiatory  right  or  door 
of  admission  into  the  church  of  God.  Can  we  possibly  con- 
ceive that  the  children  of  ("hristian  parents  are  entitled  to 
lesser  privileges  than  were  the  children  of  Jewish  parents?  C)r 
would  it  be  any  inducement  to  a  pious  Jew  of  the  present  day 
to  become  a  Christian  to  be  told  that  although  his  children  are 


m 


/74 


EPISCOPAL    METH0UI8M. 


: 


members  of  the  Jewish  church,  yet,  on  his  embracing  Chris- 
tianity and  becoiniiii^  a  member  of  the  Christian  church,  his 
children  must  be  thrust  out  until  they  attain  to  adult  years  ? 
Does  not  our  Saviour  explicitly  say,  in  regard  to  young  chil- 
dron,  "  of  su<;h  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven!"  The  "kingdom 
of  heaven"  must  mean  either  the  kingdom  of  glory,  the  work 
of  grace  in  the  heart,  or  the  church  of  Christ  on  earth.  Now, 
in  whatever  sense  it  is  used  in  the  text,  it  must  include  the 
idea  of  infant  church-membership.  Is  a  young  child  Ht  for  the 
kingdom  of  glory  ?  Then  why  not  for  the  kingdom  of  grace? 
If  fit  for  the  church  triumphant,  why  not  for  the  church  on 
earth?  And  was  not  the  promise  of  God  given  to  Christian 
j)arents,  and  to  their  ^^  children,  and  to  all  that  are  afar  oft'?" 
If  so,  and  there  can  be  no  reasonable  doubt  of  it,  then  are  in- 
fants entitled  to  the  initiatory  rite  which  will  formally  admit 
them  into  the  visible  church  of  Christ,  and  to  debar  them  that 
privilege  is  not  only  unwise  but  unjust  to  the  "children  whom 
God  has  given  us." 

3.  "  The  analogy  between  circumcision  and  baptism."  Cir- 
cumcision was  a  token  of  the  covenant  made  with  Abraham : 
"  And  ye  shall  circumcise  tha  flesh  of  your  foreskin ;  and  it 
shall  be  a  token  of  a  covenant  betwixt  me  and  you."  "  So 
baptism  is  the  external  sign  of  internal  grace ;  the  sea'  or  token 
of  the  covenant." 

Again;  "Cii'cumcision  was  a  symbol  of  moral  cleansing, 
'  And  the  Lord  thy  God  will  circumcise  thy  heart,  and  the 
heart  of  thy  seed,  to  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart, 
and  with  all  thy  soul,  that  thou  mayest  live.' "  So,  "  Baptism 
is  not  the  putting  away  the  filth  of  the  flesh" — not  an  external 
washing  or  cleansing — but  is  "  tlie  washing  of  regeneration,  and 
renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;"  that  is,  is  symbolical  of  an  in- 
ternal work  of  grace  in  the  heart. 

Again,  if  children  were  fit  subjects  of  circumcision,  they  are 
equally  fit  subjects  of  oaptism.  And  if  it  be  inquired,  as  it 
lometimes  is,  What  good  does  it  do  a  young  child  to  baptize 


». 


,1- 


■« 


BArilSM. 


175 


it?  we  niighl  reply,  What  good  it  did  a  yuuiig  child  to  cir 
cuincise  it  ?  In  the  latter  case  it  admitted  the  child  to  church- 
membership,  and  in  the  'ormer  case  it  does  the  same.  What 
more  than  this  does  it  do  in  the  case  of  an  adult? 

4.  "  The  dosig-nation  of  the  subjects  of  baptism  by  general 
terms."  "  All  Jerusalem,  and  all  Judea,  and  all  the  country 
round  about  Jordan,  went  out  to  him — John — and  were  bap- 
tized by  him."  The  term,  all  Jerusalem,  tfec,  refers,  of  course, 
to  the  people  of  Jerusalem  and  the  other  places  named,  and 
must  include  infants  as  well  as  adults,  for  it  is  a  well-establish- 
ed fact  that  infant  proselyte  baptism  was  in  use  among  the 
Jews  from  the  institution  of  })roselyte  baptism,  and  its  propriety 
never  had  been  called  in  question.  Then  why  siiould  John 
reject  them  ?  and  if  John  could  not  reject  them,  why  should 
Christian  ministers  take  upon  themselves  the  fearful  responsi- 
bility of  rejecting  infants  from  the  privileges  of  Christian  bap- 
tism ?  and  that  too  in  the  absence  of  any  express  command  to 
that  eft'ect.  For  my  right  hand,  /  would  not  dare  to  do  it. 
The  same  general  terms  are  employed  in  the  apostolic  com- 
mission, "  Go  disciple  all  nations,  baptizing  them,"  tfec.  Now, 
if  "nations"  includes  children,  then  are  children  to  be  baptized. 

5.  "Baptism  of  households."  We  find  that  under  the 
preaching  of  the  apostles  many  believed  and  were  baptized. 
Among  those  were  the  heads  of  families,  Lydia,  the  Philip- 
pian  jailer,  and  Stephanus.  Now,  were  these  believers  baptized 
and  admitted  to  the  privileges  of  the  Christian  Church  and  their 
families  left  behind,  to  grope  their  way  through  Jewish  formal- 
ity or  pagan  superstition  ?  Not  so ;  they  were  baptized,  with 
their  households,  and  thus  parents  and  children  were  proselyted 

..  K)  the  Christian  Church. 

6.  "Testimony  of  the  early  Christian  fathers."  We  allude 
not  to  their  testimony  for  the  purpose  of  proving  a  point  of 
doctrine,  but  for  the  purpose  of  showing  whac  was  the  practice 
of  the  early  Christians  in  regard  to  infant  baptism  ;  and  we 
consider  th".s  testimony  valuable,  so  far  only,  as  it  proves  that 


I  '  '»■" 


176 


KI'ISfol'AL    MKTflODlSM. 


inriiit  li.'ipfi-iiii  WMs  tlio  j^otu'ral  jinictico  of  the  Christian  Church 
from  the  titiic  uf  l\iv  aiiostles,  and  if  so,  it  is  morally  impossihlo 
that  it  shouM  not  have  hcon  practised  diirinp  th(!  time  of  the 
apostles.  'r<'rtiillian,  horn  a.d.  loO — hut  a  ffW  years  aft(!r  the 
death  of  th(!  aj)ostle  .lohu — sjieaks  of  infant  baptism  as  heinjjf 
tlie  praetioi!  of  iIk;  church.  .lustin  Martyr,  hor"  near  tiie  close 
of  the  first  century,  speaks  of  those  who  were  niend»ers  of  the 
clnn'ch,  sixty  years  old,  who  were  made  disciples  to  Christ  in 
their  hifaiiri/.  Ireiia-us,  Orio-on,  C'yprian,  and  others,  in  their 
writini^s,  all  prove  the  practice  of  infant  haptisni  in  the  earliest 
ai;-es  of  the  church  :  and  can  it  l)o  suj)posed  that  a  practice 
rIiouUI  become  so  general  in  the  course  of  a  '>inifle  century  after 
the  death  of  tlu^  apostles  ?  if  so  be,  it  was  something  entirely 
new  and  unscriptural.  The  supposition  is  perfectly  unreason- 
able. From  these  and  t)ther  considerations,  it  appears  that  the 
"  ba'^t".,;;:  of  young  children  ought  to  bo  retained  in  the 
o'lUrch,"  according  to  the  Article. 

4tb.  'I'hc  mode  of  baptism  may  now  be  considered  ;  and  on 
this  point  our  remarks  must  necessarily  be  brief.  In  the  Disci- 
pline of  the  Churcli  it  is  ordered  that  "  every  adult  person,  and 
the  parents  of  every  child  to  be  baptized,  have  tlie  choice  either 
of  immersion,  sprinkling,  or  pouring."  So  that  the  doctrine 
of  the  Methodist  Church  in  regard  to  the  mode  of  baptism  may 
be  summed  up  in  these  words  :  The  applicaticn  of  water  in 
any  becoming  mode,  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
Giiost. 

Much  that  lias  been  said  in  regard  to  the  nature  of  baptism 
in  preceding  pages,  will  throw  light  on  the  mode  of  baj)tism, 
and  if  the  Methodist  Church  admits  the  validity  of  immersion, 
as  a  mode  of  baptism,  it  by  no  means  endorses  that  mode  as 
the  only  one,  for  numerous  re;isons  :  and,  1st.  The  mode  is  not 
designated  in  Scripture.  The  command  to  be  baptized  is 
therein  found,  and  if  the  meaning  of  haptizr,  is  to  cleanse,  pur- 
ify, (kc,  the  mode  by  which  the  cleansing  shall  be  performed, 
is  left  to  the  judgment  of  the  administrator. 


^m 


"TW 


FWF"^ 


BAPTISM. 


m 


2(1.  ThtTt^  is  no  elfar  iirool'ut' tlin  onliiianco  liuving  U'eti  a«l- 
niinisttTc'd  by  immorsioti  in  u  siii;^l(!  case  cluriiij^  the  Tiiiiii^try 
of  Cliiist  aufl  liis  apostles.  Even  tlio  ba|itisin  of  Christ  hy 
John,  does  not  ajipfar  to  have  been  by  iinnicrsion,  because  (1.) 
It  was  not  the  customary  niotle  of  adniinisterini^  the  rite  amon<^ 
the  Jews.  (2.)  This  mode  did  not  coiiijtort  with  the  dcsiirn 
of  his  baptism,  lie  was  bapti/cd  "to  fulfil  all  riuihteonsncss" 
— the  re(iuirenionts  of  the  Jewish  law.  Tn  Lev.  viii.  0,  12,  .30, 
we  fnul  what  was  the  mode  of  consj'cratin^^  priests  to  the  sacred 
oflicc — "  Moses  broujrht  Aaron  and  his  sons,  and  washed  them 
with  water" — not  //*  wa'er.  "  lie  poured  anointii\L^  oil  upon 
Aaron's  head,  to  sanctify  him  ;"  "  He  spi-'uiklcd  the  anointing 
oil  and  blood  upon  Aaron  and  liis  sons."  Now,  in  compliance 
with  this  well-known  custom  amonu;  the  Jews,  (Christ  was  bap- 
tized— washed — consecr;  ted — by  John,  and  formally  inducted 
into  the  office  of  the  (Jiristian  priesthood,  and  we  maintain 
that  his  being  immersed  would  have  Ijeen  an  unmeaning  cere- 
mony, so  far  as  the  mode  is  concerned,  and  that  only  by  sprink- 
ling, pouring,  or  both,  could  the  Saviour  "  fnllil  all  righteous- 
ness." (.'3.)  The  prepositions  "  into,"  "  out  of,"  and  "  from,"  in 
the  Greek  Testament,  do  not  convey  the  idea  of  immersion,  as 
every  school-boy  knows,  who  has  studied  the  (Jreek  language. 
Christ  went  up  "  into  a  mountain" — was  lie  immersed  in  the 
mountain  ?  "  There  came  boats  from  Tiberias" — luvd  tliey 
been  immei-sed  in  Tiberias  ?  The  strong  probability  is,  tiiat 
Christ  went  down  to  Jordan  to  wash,  in  compliance  with  the 
Jewish  custom  of  consecration.  Having  washed  his  hands,  and 
probably  his  feet,  in  the  water,  Jolm  took  of  the  liquid  element, 
and  poured  and  sprinkled  it  upon  his  person,  and  the  Holy 
Ghost  then  lighted  upon  him.  All  this  is  in  keeping  with  the 
design  of  his  baptism  :  any  other  mode  would  have  failed  in 
expressiveness. 

(4.)  The  baptism  of  the  thousands  on  the  day  of  Pentecost 
affords  an  evidence  that  immersion  could  not  have  been  pi  ',• 
cally  possible.     Three  thousand  were  banHzed  ''i  the  space  of 


M 


Hra 


178 


EPISCOPAL    MRTHODISM. 


a  few  hours.  Now,  if  each  of  the  twelve  apostles  baptized 
which  is  not  at  all  certain — there  would  have  been  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  fur  each  apostle  to  baptize,  within  these  few 
hours ;  and  think  vou  that  these  three  thousand  could  have 
been  immersed  in  the  small  brook  of  Cedron,  the  receptacle  of 
all  the  filth  and  refuse  stuft'of  a  large  city  hke  Jerusalem  ? 

(5.)  The  baptism  of  the  Philippian  jailer,  with  his  household, 
in  the  house,  at  midnight,  is  a  proof  that  immersion  could  not 
have  been  the  mode,  as  is  also  the  baptism  of  Saul,  "  who 
arose," — stood  up — "  and  was  baptized." 

(6.)  The  fact  that  the  "  Spirit,  the  water,  and  the  blood,  are 
said  to  agree  in  one,"  is  a  proof  that  immersion  cannot  be  the 
mode  of  baptism  prescribed  by  the  Holy  Scriptures.  These 
three  "  agree,"  partly  in  the  design,  and  partly  in  the  mode  : 
and  if  we  can  be  assured  of  the  mode  in  which  blood  was  an- 
ciently applied  io  the  person,  as  a  symbol  of  moral  cleansing 
through  the  blood  of  Christ — which  was  invariably  by  sprink- 
ling— then  have  we  a  criterion  by  wliich  to  judge  of  the  proper 
mode  of  applying  water  to  the  candidate  for  baptism  ;  and  if 
we  learn  that  the  Spirit  is  said  "  to  be  shed  on  us,"  to  "  fall  on 
us,"  to  be  "  given"  to  us,  to  "  descend,"  <fec.,  then  may  we  in- 
fer, that  pouring  or  sprinkling  are  the  authorized  and  proper 
modes  of  administering  this  important  symbolical  rite  ;  while  it 
is  at  the  same  time  cheerfully  admitted,  that  immersion  i**  also 
valid — for  those,  who  from  conscientious  motives  prefer  that 
mode. 

ARTICLE  XVIII. 

CF    THE    lord's    SUPPER. 

"  The  supper  of  the  Lord  is  not  only  a  sign  of  the  love  that  Chris- 
tians ought  to  have  among  themscWes,  one  to  another,  but  rather  is  a 
sacrament  of  our  redemption  by  Christ's  death  :  insomuch  that  to  sucn 
as  rightly,  wortiiily,  and  with  faith  receive  the  same,  the  ''read  whicii 
we  break  is  a  partaking  of  the  body  of  Christ ;  and  likewise  the  cup  of 
blessing  is  a  partaking  of  the  blood  of  Christ. 


THE    LORD'S    SUPPER. 


Itt 


"  Transubstantiation,  or  the  change  of  the  substance  >  "  bread  and 
wnw  in  the  supj^er  of  our  Lord,  cannot  be  proved  by  holy  writ,  but  is 
repugnant  to  the  plain  words  of  Scripture,  overthroweth  tlie  nature  of 
a  eacrament,  and  hath  given  occasion  to  many  superstitions. 

"  The  body  of  Christ  is  given,  taken,  and  eaten  in  the  supper,  only 
after  a  heavenly  and  spiritual  manner.  And  the  means  wJiereby  tlie 
br»dy  of  Clirist  is  received  and  eaten  in  the  supper  is  faith. 

"  The  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper  was  not  by  Christ's  ordinance 
reserved,  carried    bout,  lifted  up,  or  worshipped." 


The  former  part  of  this  article  is  designed  to  show  what  the 
Lord's  Supper  is,  and  the  three  latter  clauses  are  designed  to 
guard  this  sacred  institution  from  the  false  views  of  the  Roman 
Church,  who  believe  that  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ  are 
reall"  and  literally  present  in  the  sacrament ;  that  as  soon  as 
the  priest  blesses  the  elements  of  bread  and  wine,  a  transub- 
stantiation,  or  change  of  substance,  takes  place  in  these  ele- 
ments, and  that  they  immediately  become  changed  into  flesh 
and  blood,  soul  and  divinity,  so  that  the  whole  Christ  is  really 
and  bodily  present.  The  absurdity  and  blasphemy  of  this  doc- 
trine is  so  apparent,  that  we  need  not  attempt  to  prove  to  the 
intelligent  reader  the  falsity  of  a  doctrine  as  unreasonable  as  it 
is  monstrous. 

The  Lord's  Supper  is  designated  by  different  names  in  the 
New  Testament.  It  is  called  the  Eucharist — the  Communion 
— the  Sacrament — the  Paschal  feast — the  Passover — all  of 
which  appellations  are  used  to  signify  some  particular  property 
or  design  in  this  solemn  ordinance  :  as  a  Eucharist  it  partakes 
of  the  nature  of  a  solemn  thanksgiving  to  God  ;  as  a  commu- 
nion, it  shows  the  fellowship  existing  between  Christ  and  his 
disciples,  and  between  the  disciples  themselves  ;  as  a  sacra- 
ment, it  partakes  of  the  nature  of  a  solemn  covenant  engage- 
ment, entered  into  between  the  Saviour  and  his  worshippers  ; 
as  a  Paschal  feast,  or  Passover,  it  is  designed  to  commemorate 
the  sufterings  and  death  of  Christ,  and  in  connection  therewith, 
the  deliverance  wrought  oqt  for  us  by  the  suipe.     The  pUrase 


'*!•- 


IPVP 


ipp 


180 


KPISCOI'AL    MKTHODISM. 


Lord's  Sup^jer,  it  is  thought  by  some,  was  not  applied  by  the 
Saviour  or  his  apostles  to  this  sacrament ;  as  however  it  was 
used  in  reference  to  the  hist  supper  which  Christ  ate  with  his 
disciples,  and  the  Eucharist  was  celebrated  immediately  after 
supper,  it  has  <^rown  into  common  use,  and  is  so  designated  in 
the  Article  before  us. 

The  design  of  this  sacrament  has  perhaps  been  sufficiently 
stated,  as  above.  We  wish,  however,  further  to  say,  that  in 
partaking  of  the  same,  in  commemoration  of  the  sufferings  and 
death  of  Christ,  it  is  with  strict  reference  to  the  vicarious  na- 
ture of  the  atonement ;  not  to  commemorate  his  death  as  a 
martyi,  or  as  the  founder  of  a  nev  dispensation,  but  as  "  God 
in  Christ,  reconciling  the  world  unto  himself,"  by  his  own 
blood.  Thus  we  recognize  the  proper  and  essential  divinity 
of  our  Lord,  and  for  this  reason  we  prefer  not  to  join  any,  in 
the  act  of  communing,  who  deny  the  vicarious  nature  of  the 
atonement,  or  the  Godhead  of  the  "  Man  Christ  Jesus."  Uni- 
tarians, Socinians,  and  others  of  every  grade  or  name,  who  deny 
these  doctrines,  or  either  of  them,  must  excuse  us  if  we  re- 
fuse to  partake  with  them,  or  neglect  to  invite  them  to  partake 
with  us  at  the  Lord's  table. 


ARTICLE  XLX. 


OP    BOTH    KINDS. 


il 


"  The  cup  of  the  Lord  is  not  to  be  denied  to  the  lay  people ;  for 
both  the  parts  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  by  Christ's  ordinance  and  com- 
mandmeat,  ought  to  be  administered  to  all  Christians  alike." 


This  Article  his  reference  to  the  unscriptural  and  unreason- 
able practice  of  the  Church  of  Rome,  in  withholding  the  cup 
from  the  laity  in  the  administration  of  the  Lord's  Supper. 
Notwithstanding  it  is  expressly  and  fully  admitted  by  that 


wm 


THE    ONE    OBLATION    OF    CHRIST. 


181 


church,  that  communion  in  both  kinds  was  the  practice  of 
Chri&t  and  his  apostles,  as  also  of  the  primitive  Christians,  yet, 
by  the  decrees  of  councils,  and  the  bulls  of  j)opes,  anathemas 
are  hurled  against  those  who  shall  say  that  the  laity  of  the 
church  ought  not  to  be  denied  the  cup.  Aside  from  the  un- 
scriptural  character  of  the  prohibition,  is  it  not  evident  that  the 
laity  of  that  church  are  denied  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's 
Supper  ?  If  by  the  Lord's  Supper  is  intended  the  eating  of 
bread  and  the  drinking  of  wine,  as  instituted  by  Jesus  Christ ; 
and  if  it  can  be  celebrated  with  nothing  less  than  bread  and 
wine ;  then  is  it  evident  that  the  sacrament  of  the  Eucharist  is 
a  thing  unknown  to  the  great  body  of  the  Roman  Ciiurch, 
while  denied  the  use  of  the  cup,  .and  if  the  definition  of  the 
*'  Church,"  as  given  by  a  former  Article,  is  correct,  namely,  "a 
congregation  of  faithful  men,  where  the  pure  word  of  God  is 
preached,  and  the  sacraments  duly  administered,"  then  it  fol- 
lows, as  a  matter  of  necessity,  that  the  Roman  Church  is  no 
Church  of  Christ,  because  the  sacraments  are  not  duly  admin- 
istered, according  to  Christ's  institution  ;  or  if  a  church,  the 
clergy  only  constitute  the  same,  as  the^j,  only,  receive  the  com- 
munion in  both  kinds. 


i, 


ARTICLE  XX. 


OF    THE    ONE  OBLATION  OF  CHRIST,  FINISHED  UPON  THE  CROSS. 


"  Tlie  offering  of  Clirist,  once  made,  is  that  perfect  redemption,  pro 
pitiation,  and  satisfaction  for  all  tlie  gins  of  the  Avhole  world,  both  ori- 
ijinal  and  actual:  and  there  i.s  none  other  satisfaction  for  sin,  hut  that 
alone.  Wherefore,  the  sacrifice  of  masses,  in  the  which  it  is  commonly 
said,  that  the  priest  doth  offer  Christ,  for  the.quick  and  the  dead  to  have 
remission  of  pain  or  guilt,  is  a  blasphemous  fable,  and  dangerous  deceit." 

t 

The  former  part  of  this  Article  endorses  an  important  truth 
taught  in  God's  holy  word,  namely,  the  General  Redemjytion 


t  ' 


182 


EPISCOPAL   METHOniSM. 


»' 


t.f  our  race,  through  the  death  and  sufferings  of  our  blessed 
Saviour. 

The  Christian  world  has  long  been  divided  in  opinion  in  re- 
gard to  the  extent  of  the  atonement ;  but  as  in  our  examina- 
tion of  this  and  other  controverted  points,  our  space  is  necessa- 
rily limited,  we  shall  only  be  able  to  glance  at  the  more  prom- 
inent arguments  which  may  be  adduced  in  favor  of  the 
doctrine  above  alluded  to,  and  in  opposition  to  the  one, 
taught  in  the  system  designated  by  the  name  of  Calvinism. 
The  latter  term  is  used  to  signify  that  system  of  theology 
taught  by  John  Calvin,  in  the  sixteenth  century,  endorsed  by 
the  Westminster  Assembly  of  Divines,  and  adopted  by  the 
Presbyterian  churches  of  Scotland,  the  United  States,  and 
some  other  countries,  as  the  body  of  divinity  on  which  is 
founded  the  Articles  of  Faith,  which  distinguish  the  Calvin- 
istic  churches  from  those  denominated  Arminian. 

The  essence  of  the  system  called  Calvinism,  may  be  found 
in  Calvin's  Institutes,  Westminster  Confession  of  Faith,  Con- 
fession of  Faith  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United 
States,  and  in  the  Longer,  and  Shorter  Catechisms.  From 
these  various  sources  may  be  collected  the  distinguishing  fea- 
tures of  the  Calvinistic  system.  From  the  Confession  of  Faith 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United  States,  we  will  give 
a,  few  extracts,  that  the  reader  may  see  the  bearing  which  the 
Article  has  upon  the  doctrine  of  Particular  Redemption. 

1.  "God,  from  all  eternity,  did,  by  the  most  wise  and  holy 
counsel  of  his  own  will,  freely  and  unchangeably  ordain  what- 
soever comes  to  pass."  In  this  extract  we  are  taught  that 
whatsoever  comes  to  pass,  has  been  ordained  by  God  from  all 
eternity.  The  term  "  whatsoever"  can  be  understood  only  in 
its  legitimate  sense,  to  mean,  everything  which  comes  to  pass, 
whether  good  or  evil,  natural  or  moral,  physical  or  mental ; 
and  whether  predicated  of  devils,  angels,  or  men  ;  whether 
coming  to  pass  in  heaven,  earth,  or  hell,  all  has  been  ordained 
of  God. 


THE    ONK    OBLATION    OF    CHRIST. 


183 


2.  "  By  tlie  decree  of  God,  for  the  manifestation  of  his  glory^ 
some  men  and  angels  are  j)redestinated  to  everhisting  life  ;  and 
others  foreordained  to  everlasting  death."  This  language  is  so 
plain,  that  it  seems  impossible  to  misunderstand  it,  and  by  it 
the  extent  of  the  atonement  must  necessarily  be  limited  to  the 
number  predestinated  to  eternal  life. 

3.  "These  angels  and  men  thus  predestinated  and  foreor- 
dained, are  particularly  and  unchangeably  designed  ;  and  their 
number  is  so  certain,  and  definite,  that  it  can  neither  be  in- 
creased, nor  diminished."  In  this  Article,  we  aru  taught  that 
the  number  of  those  predestinated  to  life,  or  foreordained  to 
death,  is  unchangeably  and  unalterably  fixed. 

4.  "  Those  of  mankind  that  are  predestinated  unto  life,  God, 
before  the  foundation  of  the  world  was  laid,  according  to  his 
eternal  and  immutable  purpose,  and  the  secret  counsel  and 
good  pleasure  of  his  own  will,  hath  chosen,  in  Christ,  unto 
everlasting  glory,  out  of  his  mere  free  grace  and  love,  without 
any  foresight  of  faith,  or  good  works,  or  perseverance  in  either 
of  them,  or  any  other  thing  in  the  creature  as  conditions  or 
causes,  moving  him  thereto,  and  all  to  the  praise  of  his  glorious 
grace." 

5.  "  Neither  are  any  other  redeemed  by  Christ,  effectually 
called,  justified,  adopted,  sanctified,  and  saved,  but  the  elect 
onlv." 

C.  "  The  rest  of  mankind,  God  was  pleased,  according  to  the 
unsearchable  counsel  of  his  own  will,  to  pass  by,  and  ordain 
them  to  dishonor  and  wrath,  for  their  sin,  to  the  praise  of  his 
glorious  justice." 

7.  ''  All  those  whom  God  has  predestinated  unto  life,  and 
those  only,  he  is  pleased  effectually  to  call,  by  his  word  and 
Spirit,  to  grace  and  salvation,  by  Jesus  Christ.  This  effectual 
call  is  of  God's  free  and  special  grace  alone  ;  not  from  anything 
at  all  foreseen  in  man,  who  is  altogether  passive  therein  until 
quickened  and  renewed  by  the  Holy  Spirit." 

8.  "Elect  infants  dying  in  infancy  are  regenerated  and  saved 


bj 


■>'' 


rr '' 


"TTT- 


184 


El'ISCOPAL    MKTUDDISM. 


! 


•I 


I  ' 


by  Christ,  through  the  Spirit;  so  also  are  all  other  elect  per- 
sons. ()ther8,  not  elected,  ahhough  they  may  be  called  by  the 
ministry  of  the  word,  and  UiAy  have  some  common  operations 
of  the  Spirit,  yet  they  never  truly  come  to  Christ,  and,  there- 
fore, cannot  bo  saved." 

In  ti'iving  tlie  above  extracts  to  the  reader  we  have  selected 
those  portions  of  the  Calvinistic  creed  which  have  a  bearing  on 
the  .'octrine  taught  in  the  Article  now  under  consideration ; 
and  by  a  comparison  of  these  with  the  Article  itself,  the  reader 
cannot  fail  to  perceive  a  wide  and  essential  dilierence  between 
the  teachings  of  Calvinism,  on  the  one  hand,  and  those  of 
Methodism  on  the  other.  The  doctrines  taught  in  the  above 
extracts  appear  to  Methodists,  and  other  Arnnnians,  to  be 
both  unscrijjtural  and  unreasonable.  Unscriptural,  because  we 
think  them  to  be  in  direct  opposition  to  the  plainest  declara- 
tions of  Scripture ;  and  unreasonable,  because  that,  aside  from 
Scripture,  they  stand  opposed  to  a  correct  idea  of  the  character 
and  attributes  of  the  Almighty,  as  entertained  by  the  enlight- 
ened mind.  Is  it,  we  ask,  either  scriptural  or  reasonable  to 
suppose  that  Ood  from  all  eternity  ordained  tvJhitsoevcr  comes 
to  pjiss?  That  every  action  of  men,  angels  and  devils  was  pre- 
determined by  God  ? 

2.  Is  it  scriptural  or  reasonable  to  suppose  that  by  the  de- 
cree of  God  some  men  and  angels  are  predestinated  to  life  and 
oihers  to  everhisting  death  ? 

3.  Is  it  scriptural  or  reasonable  to  suppose  that  the  number 
of  the  elect  and  reprobate  are  so  fixed  and  definite  that  it  can- 
not by  any  possible  contingency  be  either  increased  or  dimin- 
ished ? 

4.  Is  it  scriptural  or  reasonable  that  we  should  believe  that 
those  predestinated  or  elected  to  everlasting  life  are  thus 
chosen  without  any  foresight  of  faith  or  good  works  as  condi- 
tions i 

5.  Is  it  a  scriptural  doctrine  that  none  are  redeemet'  by 
Christ  but  the  elect  only,  while  thd  "  reprobate"  are  left  with- 


Vl^ 


pnppiPiFv 


THE    ONE    ODLATION    OF    CHRIST. 


18i 


out  anv  interest  wliatever  in  the  great  work  of  liutnan  redemp- 
tion? 

6.  Is  it  either  scriptural  or  reasonable  to  think  that  the  rep- 
robate are  not  only  passed  by  without  liaving  any  provision 
UKide  for  their  salvation  by -Icsus  Christ;  but  are  positively 
ordained  to  hoU  and  damnation,  to  dishonor  and  wrath,  merely 
because  Christ  not  iiavinu'  died  for  them  their  salvation  is  ren- 
dered  absolutely  impossible,  not  by  any  act  of  their  own,  but 
by  a  decree  of  God,  made  from  all  eternity,  and  then  attribute 
to  them  the  guilt  and  "sin''  of  being  thus  passed  by  or  ordain- 
ed to  eternal  death  ? 

1.  Is  it  in  accordance  with  Scripture  and  reason  to  believe 
that  while  God  in  his  word  calls  upon  all  the  nations  of  the 
earth  to  look  unto  him  and  be  saved,  and  commands  all  men 
everywhere  to  repent,  believe,  and  obey,  that  none  are  designed 
to  be  efiectually  called  but  the  elect  only  ? 

8.  Is  there  any  Scripture  for  dividing  the  infantile  portion 
of  mankind  into  "elect  infants"  and  "reprobate  ii.fants;"  and 
for  declaring,  that  if  the  one  class  dies  in  infancy  they  rre  re- 
generated and  saved,  and  of  the  other,  that  they  "  cannot  be 
saved  ?" 

We  design  not  to  answer  these  several  questions  argumenta- 
tively,  but  simply  to  state  that  the  former  part  of  the  Article 
before  us  discards,  in  toto,  the  doctrine  of  particular  redemp- 
tion, and  of  election  and  reprobation,  with  its  necessary  adjunct 
infant  damnation.  And  it  is  scarcely  necessary  to  repeat  the 
innumerable  passages  of  Scripture  which  prove,  beyond  a 
doubt,  that  Christ  died  for  the  whole  world  of  mankind,  for 
we  can  scarcely  open  the  Now  Testauient  without  having  our 
eyes  rest  on  some  passage  of  Scripture  whore  the  general  re- 
demption of  our  race  is  spoken  of  in  the  clearest  and  fullest 
manner,  and  that  in  fact,  "  The  olTering  of  Christ  once  made  is 
a  perfect  redemption,  jiropitiation,  and  saiisfaction  for  all  the 
sins  of  the  whole  would,  both  original  and  actual." 

The  latter  part  of  the  Article  is  aimed  at  the  doctrine  em* 


^r 


i 


186 


KPISCOI'AL    METHODISM. 


oraced  in  the  sacrifice  of  the  7nass^  in  which  it  is  said  that  as 
often  as  mass  is  celebrated  Christ  is  offered  or  sacrificed  anew 
for  the  sins  of  the  people,  both  living  and  dead.  It  is  not,  of 
course,  necessary  to  say  that  the  pretensions  of  the  Roman 
clergy,  in  this  respect,  are  not  only  unreasonable  and  absurd, 
but  are  positively  injurious  to  the  interests  of  morals  and  truo 
religion ;  for  no  l^rotestant  can  look  upon  the  doctrine  of  the 
nuiss  without  pain  and  abhorrence. 


AraicLE  XXI. 

OF    THE    MARRIAGE    OF    MINISTERS. 

"The  ministers  of  Christ  are  not  commanded  by  God's  law,  either 
to  vow  the  estate  of  a  sinjjle  life,  or  to  abstain  from  marriage :  there- 
fore, it  is  lawful  for  tliem,  as  for  all  other  Christians,  to  marry  .it  their 
own  discretion,  as  they  shall  judge  the  same  to  serve  best  to  godliness." 

The  doctrine  of  clerical  celibacy,  as  taught  and  required  by 
the  Romish  Church,  is  at  war  with  the  teachings  of  both  the 
Old  and  New  Testaments,  and  destructive  of  morals  and  the 
best  interests  of  society.  It  was  not  until  the  fourth  century 
that  the  celibacy  of  the  clergy  was  required  by  the  church, 
and  since  that  time  it  has  remained  a  law  of  the  Roman 
Church  that  none  of  its  ecclesiastically  ordained  priests,  or  other 
officers,  shall  contract  marriage.  The  design  of  ifliis  prohibition 
is  to  render  the  clergy  more  completely  subservient  to  the  will 
of  the  Roman  See,  by  preventing,  as  far  as  possible,  the  exer- 
cise of  the  social  feelinijs  ;  and  it  is  a  well-established  fact,  that 
this  rule  has  been  promotive  of  the  worst  effects,  and  jiroved 
destructive  to  the  morality  of  even  the  hio-hest  diLjnitaries  of 
the  church,  and  hence  Luther,  well  knowing  the  disastrous 
eftl'cts  of  such  prohibition  upon  the  morals  of  the  clergy,  wist-'Iy 
and  boldly  bid  defiance  to  the  poj)e,  and  the  mandates  of  a 
corrupt  church,  by  contracting  marriage  with  a  nun. 

It  may  be  proper  here  to  observe,  that  in  the  British  Wes- 


^ 


w 


KITES    AND    CEREMONIES. 


187 


leyan  Cor)'''renco  a  rule  has  obtained,  by  which  the  preachers 
of  the  connection  arc  required  to  abstain  from  marriage  during 
the  time  of  their  novitiate,  or  probation  as  preachers.  This 
rule  is  designed,  partly,  to  keep  the  younger  preachers  free 
from  the  cares  of  the  world  as  much  as  possible  during  the 
four  years  of  trial,  so  that  they  may  have  better  opportunities 
for  study,  tfec. ;  atid  partly  to  keep  a  sufficient  number  of  single 
men  in  connection  with  the  conference  to  supjjly  those  portions 
of  the  work  with  unmarried  men  where  the  societies  are  too 
small  or  feeble  to  support  a  number  of  preachers  with  their 
families.  This  rule,  however,  is  not  an  absolute  prohibition  of 
marriage,  but  merely  a  deferment  of  this  relation  until  such 
time  as  membership  in  the  conference  is  secured.  In  other 
words,  the  cumUdate  for  the  ministry  may  not  contract  mar- 
riage, but  when  he  becomes  a  minister  he  is  at  perfect  liberty 
to  do  so.  In  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  the  United 
States,  no  rule  exists  on  the  subject,  except  the  one  contained 
in  this  Article. 

ARTICLE  XXII. 

OF    THE    RITES    AND    CEREMONIES    OF    CHURCHES. 


"  It  is  not  necessary  that  rites  and  ceremonies  should  in  all  places 
be  the  same,  or  exactly  alike :  for  they  have  always  been  different,  and 
may  be  changed  according  to  the  diversity  of  countries,  times,  and 
men's  manners,  so  that  nothing  be  ordained  against  God's  word.  Who- 
soever, through  his  private  judgment,  willingly  and  purposely  doth 
openly  break  the  rites  and  ceremonies  of  the  church  to  which  he  be- 
longs, which  are  not  repugnant  to  the  word  of  God,  and  are  ordained 
and  approved  by  common  authority,  ought  to  be  rebuked  openly,  that 
others  may  fear  to  do  the  like,  as  one  that  offondeth  against  the  com- 
mon order  of  the  church,  and  woundeth  the  consciences  of  weak  brethren. 

"  Every  particular  church  may  ordain,  change,  or  abolish  rites  and 
ceremonies,  so  that  all  things  may  be  done  to  edification." 

The  doctrine  embraced  by,  and  taught  in  this  Article,  is  of 

great  importan^^e  to  the  church  of  Christ  in  all  its  various 
U 


i 

I 


188 


KI'ISCOl'AL    METHODISM. 


branclit's,  for  were  it  necessary  that  the  rites  and  ceremonibs 
ot"  tlio  cliurch  should  be  in  all  places  and  times  alike,  inasmuch 
as  a  difference  lias  obtained,  and  does  obtain,  it  would  be  diffi- 
cult to  j)rove  that  Christ  has  a  churcr.  on  eartii  at  all. 

Th'-rt'  art'  two  thini^s  comprehended  in  the  <^ospel  of  Christ 
in  relation  to  his  church.  One  is,  that  it  7unst  Jiavo  wliAt  is 
essential  its  existence  and  perpetuity  ;  the  other,  that  it  may 
or  may  r  .^  have  what  is  not  thus  essential.  The  essential  ap- 
pendages to  a  church  are  the  Scriptures,  a  livinL;;  ministry,  and 
the  sacrament-s  ;  the  non-essentials  are  a  litur<^y,  or  prescribed 
form  of  worship,  with  all  other  means  of  grace,  not  positively 
required  by  God  in  his  word.  AVe  may  illustrate  this  point 
by  saying  that  baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper  are  essential  to 
the  existence  of  the  church  ;  no  church  nitiy  therefore  repudi- 
ate these  ordinances  ;  while  love-feasts,  class-meetings,  confirm- 
ation, ttc.  «tc.,  'lot  being  exjiressly  recpiired  by  the  gospel, 
may,  or  may  rot  be  repudiated,  by  any  branch  of  the  church. 
So  also  in  regard  to  the  mode  of  administering  the  ordinances. 
That  the  ordinances  of  baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper  must  be 
administered,  is  rendered  certain  by  the  plain  commands  of 
Christ  and  his  apostles,  but  whetlier  the  former  shall  bo  admin- 
istered by  sprinkling,  pouring,  or  immersion  ;  or  the  latter  be 
received  while  sitting,  standing  or  kneeling,  is  nowhere  stated, 
and  any  branch  of  the  cliurch  may  lawfully  adopt  such  rules, 
in  relation  to  such  points,  as  may  seem  expedient  and  proper. 
'I'he  same  course  of  reasoning  will  apply  also  to  the  govern- 
ment of  the  church.  That  a  church  should  exist,  is  the  re- 
vealed will  of  God  ;  and  that  his  church  should  have  some 
kind  of  ecclesiastical  government,  is  also  rendered  certain  ;  bift 
when  we  come  to  inquire  into  the  particular  form  of  church 
government,  instituted  by  Christ  and  his  apostles,  we  find  our- 
selves without  direct  scriptural  authority.  Whether,  therefore, 
a  church  shall  be  governed  by  an  episcopacy,  by  a  presbytery, 
or  by  itself,  independently  of  all  foreign  ecclesiastical  control, 
is  a.  Question  not  fully  settled  by  divine  revelation,  and  may  be 


fmmimmm 


^mm 


*i  mjmn . 


RITES    AND    CRIIEMONIKS. 


180 


left  to  tho  enliglitonpcl  juclirment  of  individuals,  or  associated 
bodies  of  Oh listinns,  to  decide  for  tliemsrlves.  But  in  deciding 
for  tlieinselves,  they  have  no  right  to  decide  peremptorily  for 
others  ;  every  man  having  a  natural  right  to  decide  for  him- 
self, in  regard  to  these  matters,  so  that  he  decides  on  nothing 
contrary  to  the  word  of  God. 

When  an  associated  body  of  Christians,  in  the  absence  of  an 
express  rule  in  relation  to  ecclesiastical  government,  rites  and 
ceremonies,  adopt  a  form  of  church  government  for  themselves, 
and  ordain  certain  rites  and  ceremonies,  to  be  used  in  the 
church,  then  it  is  not  lawful  for  any  one,  through  his  own  pri- 
vate judgment,  wilfully  and  purposely  to  violate  the  rules  and 
regulations  of  the  church  to  which  he  belongs,  provided  those 
rules  are  not  repugnant  to  the  word  of  (Jod,  and  provided,  also, 
that  his  connection  with  such  church  is  voluntary,  and  not  the 
result  of  coercion.  In  either  of  the  latter  cases,  we  believe  that 
a  man  would  have  the  right  to  violate  any  ecclesiastical  re' 
quirement,  which,  in  his  judgment,  contravened  the  laws  of 
God,  or  the  rigiit  of  voluntarily  connecting  himself  where  con- 
science and  di.ty  point  out ;  but  otherwise,  it  is  the  duty  of 
every  Christian  to  yield  a  hearty  obedience  to  the  requirements 
of  the  church  of  which  he  is  voluntarily  a  member ;  and  if,  for 
conscience'  sake,  he  cannot  yield  such  obedience,  then  is  it 
clearly  his  duty  voluntarily  to  withdraw  from  the  church — if 
such  withdrawal  is  possible — and  seek  a  connection  with  some 
other  branch,  whose  requirements  are  more  congenial  with  his 
views  of  Christian  duty.  To  remain  in  the  church,  and  refuse 
obedience  to  its  wholesome  requirements  ;  or  to  withdraw  from 
the  church  when  such  requirements  are  not  repugnant  to  the 
word  of  God,  is  to  involve  ourselves  in  the  guilt  of  schism,  a 
sin  which  is  pointedly  condemned  by  the  word  of  God,  and  is 
productive  of  great  and  lasting  injury  to  the  body  of  Christ ; 
so  that  nothing  short  of  imperious  necessity  should  ever  induce 
any  person  to  be  a  promoter  or  abettor  of  division  in  the  church  of 
God,  or  to  become  a  separatist  from  the  church  of  his  former  choice. 


^ 


-T-T— 7- 


i  \ 
I      k 


190 


Ei'iHCOi'AL  ml:tiiodihm. 


I 


N 


Tlioro  is,  consequently,  inuch  importance  to  be  attached  to 
the  duo  exaininfition  of  doctrines  and  ceremonies  of  any  church, 
bofoh)  a  j)erson  vohintarily  coimects  himself  with  the  same. 
The  oxamiiiation  necessary,  may  require  weeks,  and  even 
moiiths,  before  an  eniii^htencd  jadgtnent  can  be  formed  in  re- 
lation to  tlieso  matters,  by  tlie  younn^  and  inexperienced  Chris- 
tian, and  we  consider  it  an  important  feature  in  the  polity  of 
the  Metljodist  Episcopal  Church,  that  at  least  six  months  must 
be  given  to  every  candidate  for  membership,  to  make  such  ex- 
amination, before  memljership  is  secured,  thus  guarding  the 
candidate,  on  the  one  hand,  against  improper  haste  in  forming 
a  judgment,  and  the  church,  on  the  other  hand,  against  the  in- 
troduction of  improper  persons,  by  giving  it  an  opportunity  of 
judging  of  the  correctness  of  their  faith  and  practice. 


ARTICLE  XXIII. 


OF    THE    RULKRS    OF    THE    UNITED    STATES    OF    AMERICA. 


11 


I  \ 

I 

i 


"  The  President,  the  Congress,  the  general  assemblies,  the  governors, 
and  the  councils  of  state,  as  the  delegates  of  the  people,  are  the  rulers 
of  the  United  States  of  America,  according  to  the  division  of  power 
made  to  tliom  by  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States,  and  by  the 
constitutions  of  their  respective  States.  And  the  said  States  are  a 
sovereign  and  independent  nation,  and  ought  not  to  be  subject  to  any 
foreign  Jurisdiction."* 

The  Jibove  Article,  with  the  note  appended  to  it,  is  designed 
to  show  the  views  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  rela 

*  "  As  far  as  it  respects  civil  affairs,  we  believe  it  the  duty  of  Chris- 
tians, and  especially  all  Christian  ministers,  to  be  subject  to  the  su- 
preme authority  of  the  country  where  they  may  reside,  and  to  use  all 
laudable  means  to  enjoin  obedience  to  the  powers  that  be;  and,  there- 
fore, it  is  expected  that  all  our  preacliers  and  people  who  may  be  un 
der  the  British,  or  any  other  government,  will  behave  themselves  as 
peaceable  and  orderly  subjects." 


f^t^'^Km^^^^^^^^^^^^'^^^^^ 


•w^ 


"WWW 


TJIE    KULEUH    OF    TIIK    UNITKD    STATUS. 


191 


lion  to  the  civil  government  of  tlio  United  States,  utkI  also  tho 
duty  of  American  Methodists,  who  may  ho  rt'sidiiii^  iindiT  tho 
protection  of  the  lirifish,  or  otlier  foreii^n  govern mcnt.s,  to  bo 
obedient  and  peaceable  subjects,  while  they  remain  under  such 
j)rotection.  The  Article  itself  was  adopted  at  tho  time  of  the 
organization  of  the  church  in  1184,  and  the  note  was  aj)pended 
in  the  year  18'20,  "  to  meet  the  j)eculiar  case  of  the  brethren  in 
Canada,  against  whom  unfounded  suspicions  had  been  created, 
because  the  Methodist  K[»iscopal  Church,  of  which  they  were 
tlien  a  ])art,  was  regarded  as  a  foreign  ecclesiastical  authority." 
The  doctrine  taiight,  both  in  the  Article,  and  in  the  note,  is, 
that  civil  governm(Mit  is  of  divine  origin,  that  the  "  powers  that 
be,  are  ordained  of  (rod,"  and  tiiat  "  whosoever  resisteth  the 
power,  resisteth  the  ordinance  of  Cod  ;"  l)Ut  the  Article  does 
not  say  what  particular  form  of  civil  government  is  ordained 
of  Cod,  or  whether  any  such  form  is  pn-scribed  by  the  Ruler 
of  the  universe,  llencc,  the  divine  right  of  kings,  or  emperors, 
to  reign  and  rule,  is  neither  asserted,  nor  denied,  while  it  is 
asserted  and  maintained,  that  the  dc/('i/ales  of  the.  pcoj>le  of  the 
United  States  are  tho  rulers  of  tho  same  ;  and  that  said  States 
not  only  form  a  sovereign  and  independent  nation,  but  ought 
not  to  be  subject  to  any  foreign  jurisdiction.  It  will  be  clearly 
seen,  then,  that  while  the  Methodist  Church  teaches  subjection 
to  all  who  are  in  authority  over  us,  whether  at  h(jme  or  abroad, 
it  meddles  not  with  questions  of  a  purely  civil  and  political 
character,  any  further  than  to  require  obedience  to  the  laws 
and  requirements  of  the  commonwealth.  The  question  now 
greatly  agitated  in  the  nation,  whether  obedience  to  all  law  is 
required  by  the  gospel,  and  wiiether  we  are  bound  to  yield 
such  obedience  to  law,  when  iudi;ed  to  be  unri"hteous,  is  a 
point,  which,  not  having  been  discussed  by  the  church  in  her 
general  councils,  has,  of  course,  not  been  formally  decided,  one 
way  or  the  other.  On  this,  as  on  all  other  points  connected 
with  huj-an  authority,  there  will  be  a  variety  of  opinions  en- 
tertained ;  and  while  a  Christian  may  not  aid  personally  in  the 


^WP 


192 


EPISCOPAL   METHODISM. 


''!il 


Mt; 


If 


execution  of  any  law  which  he  honestly  befievos  contravenes 
the  laws  and  mandates  of  Jehovah,  he  may  not,  on  the  other 
hand,  forcibly  resist  the  ?xenition  of  any  law  which  the  major- 
ity of  his  fellort'-citizens  have,  by  their  delegates,  thought  to  be 
necessary  for  the  well-being  of  the  body  politic ;  while  it  will 
be  incumbent  upon  him,  as  a  part  of  the  body  politic,  to  labor, 
in  every  proper  manner,  for  the  repeal  of  such  laws  as  he  be- 
lieves are  opposed  to  the  "  higher  law,"  or  rule  of  right,  estab- 
lished by  the  Creator.  Thus  far,  we  presume,  there  will  be  a 
unanimity  of  opinion  among  all  the  ministers  and  members  of 
the  Methodist  Church.  In  the  lanouage  of  one  of  her  sons, 
"  The  church,  by  its  moral  influence,  should  countenance  and 
sustain  the  State  ;  and  the  State  protect  the  church  :  both  in- 
stitutions being  equally  of  divine  appointment,  and  equally  in- 
dispensable to  the  good  of  society."* 


ARTICLE  XXIV. 


OF    CHRISTIAN    MEn's    GOODS 


N 


"  The  riches  and  goods  of  Christians  are  not  common,  as  touching 
the  right,  title,  and  possession  of  the  same,  as  some  do  falsely  boast. 
Notwithstanding  every  man  ought,  of  such  things  as  he  possesseth, 
liberally  to  give  alms  to  the  poor,  according  to  his  ability." 

This  Article  is  designed  to  guard  men  against  the  false 
notion  that  when  a  man  becomes  a  Christian  he  loses  his  indi- 
vidual right  to  property,  and  thflt  all  that  he  has  rhould  be 
merged  in  one  common  fund.  Whatever  mio-ht  be  rio-ht  under 
a  jyer/ect  social  si/sfem,  it  is  very  evident,  as  society  is  now  con- 
stituted, a  community  of  goods  would  do  more  harm  than 
good ;  the  indolent  and  improvident  would  prey  upon  the 
fruits  of  industry  and  economy,  and  the  result  would  be  the 
nen/rpl  prevalence  of  anarchy  and  confusion.     It  is  maintained 

*  Comfort's  Exposition,  page  345. 


CHRISTAIN    MEN'S    GOODS. 


193 


by  tlie  athooatt's  of  the  community  system,  tliat  the  early 
Christians,  who  "  had  all  things  in  common,"  set  an  example 
which  we  ouglit  to  follow ;  but  it  is  not  certain  that  their  course 
was  designed  as  an  example;  the  probability,  na},  the  moral 
certainty  is,  that  it  was  not ;  neither  is  it  certain  that  they  had 
all  things  common  in  the  sense  of  having  no  individual  right 
to  control  any  part  thereof.  It  is  true,  that  when  they  sold 
their  possessions  and  goods,  and  made  an  oftering  thereof  to 
the  common  stock,  they  lost  tlie  individual  right  to  control  it, 
while  it  is  equally  evident  that  by  far  the  greatest  portion  of 
the  early  Christians  retained  a  part  of  their  goods  in  their  own 
possession,  from  the  fact  that  there  existed  among  them  a  dis- 
tinction between  rich  and  poor,  or  those  who  gave  and  those 
who  received  alms,  as  in  the  case  of  Dorcas,  the  Hebrew 
widows,  and  those  for  whom  collections  in  the  churches  were 
taken.  The  probability  therefore  is,  that  "  having  all  things  in 
common,"  is  to  be  understood  in  a  limited  sense,  and  that  the 
sale  of  their  goods  was  a  voluntary  act,  not  enjoined  by  Christ 
or  his  apostles. 

While,  therefore,  the  principle  of  socialism  is  not  enforced  by 
the  word  of  God,  there  is  a  principle  recognized,  a  duty  en- 
forced, of  giving  to  the  poor  according  to  our  abundance ;  and 
this  duty  is  of  perpetual  obligation,  or  as  long  as  the  distinction 
between  rich  and  poor  may  be  properly  said  to  exist ;  and  the 
fact  that  the  State  may,  in  some  countries,  make  provision  for 
its  resident  poor,  does  not,  in  our  opinion,  relieve  the  Church 
entirely,  if  at  all,  of  the  duty  of  giving  alms  to  those  who  need. 
There  always  will  be  a  class  in  society  who  are  })roper  objects 
of  charity,  who  will  not  avail  themselves  of  any  provision  made 
for  them  by  the  civil  government;  and  there  are  othervS — mem- 
bers of  the  church — whom  it  would  be  disgraceful  to  the 
Church  of  God  to  allow  to  become  pensioners  upon  the 
bounties  of  the  state  designed  for  the  poor ;  these  classes  must 
be  cared  for,  their  wants  must  be  supplied,  and  the  rich,  out  of 
their  abundance,  must  supply  these  wants,  and  woe  be  to  the 


^■p 


194 


KPISrOHAL    MKTHODISM. 


man  who,  seeing  liis  biotlier  or  sir.te"  in  need,  and  who  having 
the  means  to  relieve  their  necessities,  "shuts  up  his  bowels  of 
ccmpassion  against  them." 


ARTICLE  XXV. 


OF    A    CHRISTIAN    MANS    OATH. 


ii 


"  As  we  confess  that  vain  and  rash  swearing  is  forbidden  Christian 
men  by  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  James  his  apostle,  so  we  judge  that 
the  Christian  religion  doth  not  prohibit  but  that  a  man  may  swear 
when  the  magistrate  requireth,  in  a  cause  of  faith  and  charity,  so  it  be 
done  according  to  tlie  prophet's  teaching,  in  justice,  judgment,  and 
truth." 

The  design  of  this  Article  is  very  apparent, — to  discounte- 
nance the  sin  of  profanity,  and  at  the  same  time  sanction  judicial 
oaths,  or  oaths  required  to  be  taken  in  a  court  of  justice,  or  be- 
fore a  magistrate.  These  oaths,  in  some  form,  are  re<[uired  to 
be  taken  by  the  subjects  of  all  civilized  countries,  and  indeed 
they  may  be  considered  a  necessary  appendage  to  the  proper 
administration  of  justice  under  the  present  constitution  of  so- 
ciety. We  say  that  oaths  in  some  form  are  required  to  be 
taken  ;  for  whether  we  "  swear  by  the  ever-living  God,"  to  tell 
the  truth,  or  simply  "affirm"  that  we  will  tell  the  truth,  the 
solemnity  and  binding  nature  of  the  asseveration  is  the  same  in 
the  eye  of  human  law,  and  we  have  no  doubt  is  considered  as 
equally  sacred  and  binding  by  the  great  Lawgiver  of  the 
universe. 

The  Quakers  and  some  other  conscientious  persons,  refuse  to 
take  judicial  oaths,  on  the  ground  that  all  swearing  is  forbidden 
by  the  Saviour.  Now,  while  we  honor  the  conscientious 
scruples  of  all  men,  we  cannot  but  think  that  an  improper 
view  is  taken  of  the  meaning  of  the  Saviour  in  the  above  pro< 
hibition.     By  reading  the  context  carefully  the  reader  will  no 


^^^m 


mmmmmm^ 


A    OHKISTAIX    MAN'S    OATH. 


IWJ 


doubt  perceive  that  the  kind  of  swearing  prohibited  by  Christ 
is  not  that  required  by  the  civil  magistrate,  but  that  of  which 
the  Jews  were  notoriously  guilty,  swearing  falsely  by  the  tem- 
ple, by  the  throne  of  God,  and  that  too  when  not  required  to 
do  it  by  the  civil  magistrate.  That  the  latter  was  the  mean- 
ing of  the  Saviour,  to  us  is  abundantly  evident  from  the  fact 
that  when  placed  upon  his  trial  before  the  high-priest,  he  was 
sworn  by  the  latter  to  tell  the  truth.  The  practice  of  swearing 
criminals  was  common  among  the  Jews,  and  the  form  of  oath 
to  them  administered  was  in  these  words,  "  I  adjure  thee  by 
the  living  God  to  answer,  whether  the  thing  be  so  or  not." 
Now,  this  very  oath,  in  substance,  w:xs  administered  to  Christ, 
and  had  he  considered  it  unlawful  to  take  such  an  oath,  he  no 
doubt  would  have  refrained  from  answering,  but  instead  of  this, 
he  immediately  replies  to  the  adjuration  of  the  high-priest,  thus 
showing  th;it  while  he  discountenanced  profanity  in  all  its 
forms,  he  sanctioned  the  administration  of  judicial  oaths.  That 
judicial  oaths  are  proper  is  also  evident  from  what  the  apostle 
Paul  says  in  relation  to  them,  "  An  oath  for  confirmation  is  to 
them  an  end  of  all  strife."  Now,  had  such  oaths  been  unlaw- 
ful and  forbitlden,  the  apostle,  no  doubt,  would  have  considered 
it  his  duty  to  have  said  so  when  speaking  of  the  suVyect,  but 
instead  of  this  lie  uses  it  as  an  illustration,  and  then  proceeds 
to  show  that  "  God  confirmed  his  promise  to  Abraham  by  an 
oath."  These  considerations  prove  the  doctrine  in  the  Article 
to  be  correct,  and  show  conclusively  that  while  it  is  forbidden, 
to  swear  profanely,  it  is  right  to  swear  when  judicially  required 
to  do  so. 


19(3 


KHISCOHAL   METHODISM. 


APPENDIX  TO  THE  ARTICLES. 


!  i  i! 


.' 


In  our  Introduction  to  the  Articles  of  Religion,  we  intimated 
that  there  are  certain  doctrines  of  Methodism  not  clearly  stated 
in  the  same.  The  reason  for  this  is  not  to  be  traced  to  an  un- 
willingness on  the  part  of  the  church  to  publish  to  the  wf>ild 
all  that  she  Ijelieves,  but  to  the  simple  ftict,  that  with  the  ex- 
ception of  the  one  which  refers  to  the  "  Rulers  of  the  United 
States,"  the  Articles  were  all  prepared  for  the  church  by  Mr. 
Wesley  himself.  Mr.  Wesley  being  a  minister  of  ihe  Church 
of  England,  very  naturally  and  properly  selected  such  Articles 
from  the  Common  Prayei  Book  which  he  judged  contained 
sound  and  wholesome  doctrine ;  while  those  which  admitted 
of  dispute,  as  it  regards  their  true  meaning,  were  omitted. 
But  while  omitting  some  of  the  Articles,  he  did  not  feel  him- 
self at  liberty  to  supply  their  place  with  others  of  his  own 
making ;  hence  several  important  doctrines  which  are  taught 
by  the  Methodists  in  all  parts  of  the  world,  are  not  even  alluded 
to  in  the  Articles  of  Religion.  While  a  strong  disposition  to 
venerate,  just  as  it  is,  whatever  came  from  the  hand  of  the 
founders  of  Methodism,  has  hitherto  prevented  the  alteration 
or  the  addition  of  any  other  Articles  to  the  original  twenty- 
five  ;  and  more  especially  as  in  the  constitution  of  the  church 
it  is  expressly  said  that  "  the  General  Conference  shall  not  re- 
voke, alter,  or  change  our  Articles  of  Religion ;"  and  as  in  the 
provision  made  for  the  alteration  of  the  constitution,  whereby 
every  other  Article  of  the  same  rnay  be  changed,  the  above 
clause  is  carefully  excepted.  While,  therefore,  it  might  have 
been  desirable,  when  the  church  was  organized,  that  all  the 
important  features  of  Methodist  theology  should  have  been 


P5WP""iil 


WriNKSS    OV    THK    SPIRIT. 


ly; 


embodied  in  the  Articles,  and  is  a  matter  of  regret  to  some  that 
they  were  not ;  yet  we  have  reason  to  he  thankful  to  the  great 
Head  of  the  Cluirch  that  there  has  been  no  disposition  mani- 
fested to  modify  or  change  the  existing  Articles,  AYhile  it  is 
also  a  matter  of  thankfulness  that  in  Wesley's  sermons,  and  in 
rtther  standard  writings  of  the  church,  the  important  doctrines 
which  are  omitted  in  the  Articles,  or  are  but  incidentally 
alluded  to,  are  in  the  former  clearly  taught,  and  by  the  present 
race  of  Methodist  ministers  are  faithfully  preached,  Among 
these  important  doctrines  referred  to,  are  the  doctrine  of  the 
Witness  of  the  Spirit ;  the  Sanctification  of  believers ;  the 
possibilitij  of  falUnrj  from  Grace  ;  and  the  doctrine  of  Eter- 
nal Rewards  and  Punishments. 


I. 


ON    THE    WITNESS    OF    THE    SPIRIT. 


The  witness  of  the  Spirit  of  God  that  we  are  the  children  of 
God,  is  one  of  the  glorious  privileges  of  believers ;  but  to  under- 
stand this  subject  fully,  as  taught  by  Mr.  Wesley,  we  will  make 
a  few  extracts  from  his  Sermon  on  Rom.  viii.  16,  "The  Spirit 
itself  beareth  witness  with  our  spirit  that  we  are  the  children 
of  God." 

"  I.  The  witness,  or  testimony  of  our  own  spirit."  "  With 
regard  to  the  testimony  of  a  Christian's  own  spirit,  the  founda- 
tion of  this  is  laid  in  numerous  texts  of  Scripture,  which  de- 
scribe the  marks  of  the  children  of  God,  and  that  very  plainly.'* 
"  This  may  be  still  further  aided  by  the  ministry  of  the  word, 
meditation,  and  religious  conversation.  And  every  man,  using 
the  understanding  which  God  has  given  him,  and  which  reli- 
gion was  designed  to  improve,  by  applying  those  Scripture 
marks  to  himself,  may  know  whether  he  is  a  child  of  God; 
For  instance  1  John  ii.  3,  5,  29  :  '  And  hereby  we  do  know 
that  we  know  him,  if  we  keep  his  commandments. — But  whoso 


; 


i  ■ 


i!l 


J 


1 


•  T 


198 


EPISCOPAL    MKTHODISM. 


keepcth  Lis  word,  in  him  verily  is  the  love  of  God  perfected : 
hereby  know  we  tluit  we  are  in  him. — Ye  know  that  every  one 
that  doeth  righteousness  is  born  of  him.' — iii.  4,  19,  24  ;  iv. 
13  ;  V.  18.  Probably,  from  the  beginning  of  the  world,  none 
of  the  children  of  God  were  ever  farther  advanced  in  the  grace 
of  God,  and  the  knowledge  of  Christ,  than  the  apostle  John, 
and  those  to  whom  he  wrote  at  that  time.  Yet  they  did  not 
despise  these  marks  of  being  God's  children,  but  ai)plied  them 
to  their  own  hearts,  for  the  confirmation  of  their  faith.  Yet  all 
this  testimony  is  no  other  than  rational  ;  the  witness  of  our 
own  spirit,  our  reason,  or  understanding.  It  all  resolves  itself 
into  this  :  those  who  have  these  marks,  these  are  God's  chil- 
dren ;  but  we  have  these  marks,  therefore  we  are  his  children. 
But  how  does  it  ai)i)ear  that  we  have  these  marks — that  we 
love  God  and  our  n(-'ighbor,  and  that  we  keep  God's  command- 
ments ?  The  question  does  not  mean,  how  does  it  appear  to 
others^  but  to  ourselves.  As  easily  as  you  can  know  whether 
you  are  alive,  in  pain,  or  in  ease,  may  you  know  whetlier  you 
are  saved  from  ]>roud  wrath,  and  have  the  ease  of  a  meek  and 
quiet  spirit ;  whether  you  love  yov  neighbor  as  yourselves ; 
whether  you  are  kindly-aft'ectioned,  gentle,  and  long-suffering ; 
whether  you  outwardly  keep  God's  commandments,  by  living 
godly,  righteous,  and  sober  lives.  This  is  properly  the  testi- 
mony of  our  own  spirit.  It  is  a  consciousness  of  our  having 
received  in,  and  by  the  spirit  of  adoption,  the  tempers  men 
tioned  in  the  word  of  God,  as  belonging  to  his  adopted  chil- 
dren. 

"  But  what  is  the  testimony  of  God's  Spirit,  which  is  super- 
added to,  and  conjoined  with  this  ?  IIow  does  he  bear  witness 
with  our  spirit,  that  we  are  the  children  of  God  ?  It  is  hard 
to  find  words  in  the  language  of  men,  to  explain  the  deep 
things  of  God.  But  perhaps  one  might  say,  the  testimony  of 
the  Spirit  is  an  inward  impression  on  the  soul,  whereby  the 
Spirit  of  God  directly  witnesses  to  my  spirit,  that  I  am  a  child 
of  God  ;  that  Jesus  hath  loved  me^  and  given  himself  for  me  ; 


WITNKSS    OF    IHK    Sl'IKlT. 


19U 


lliat  all  my  sins  are  l>K)tte(l  out,  and  /,  even  /,  am  reconciled 
to  God. 

"  This  testimony  of  the  Spirit  of  God  must,  in  the  very  na- 
ture of  things,  go  before  the  testimony  of  our  own  spirit.  We 
must  be  holy  in  heart  and  life,  before  we  can  be  conscious  that 
we  are  so.  But  we  must  love  God  before  we  can  be  holy  at 
all ;  this  being  the  root  of  all  holiness.  Now  we  cannot  love 
God  till  we  know  he  loves  us.  And  we  cannot  know  his  par- 
doning love  to  us,  till  his  Spirit  witness  it  to  our  spirit.  Since, 
therefore,  this  testimony  of  his  Spirit  must  precede  the  love  of 
God,  and  all  holiness,  of  consequence  it  must  precede  our  in- 
ward consciousness  thereof,  or  the  testimony  of  our  own  spirit 
concerning  them. 

"  lie  that  loves  God,  and  delights  and  rejoices  in  him  with 
an  humble  joy,  a  holy  delight,  and  an  obedient  love,  is  a  child 
of  God  ;  but  I  thus  love,  delight,  and  rejoice  in  God  :  therefore 
I  am  a  child  of  God  :  then  a  Christian  cannot  doubt  of  his  be- 
ing a  child  of  (^lod.  Of  the  former  proposition  he  has  as  full 
assurance,  as  he  hivs  that  the  Scriptures  are  of  God  ;  and  of 
his  thus  loving  God,  he  has  an  inward  proof,  which  is  nothing 
short  of  self-evident. 

"  The  manner  how  the  divine  testimony  is  manifested  to  the 
heart,  I  do  not  take  upon  me  to  explain.  See  John  iii.  8.  But 
we  know  the  fact,  namely,  that  the  Spirit  of  God  gives  a  be- 
liever such  a  testimony  of  his  adoption,  that  while  it  is  present 
to  the  soul,  he  can  no  more  doubt  the  reality  of  his  sonship, 
than  he  can  doubt  of  the  shining  of  the  sun,  while  he  stands  in 
the  full  blaze  of  heaven.     But, 

"  11.  How  may  this  joint  testimony  of  God's  Spirit  and  of  our 
own  spirit,  be  clearly  distinguished  from  presumption  of  mind, 
and  the  delusions  of  Satan  ?  (1.)  The  Holy  Scriptures  abound 
with  marks,  distinguishing  the  one  from  the  other.  Tbey  de- 
sHbe  repentance  as  constantly  going  before  this  wltnes's  oi  par- 
don. (2.)  The  Scriptures  describe  the  being  born  of  God, 
which  must  precede  the  witness  that  we  are  his  children,  as  a 


wtmf^m^^'^ 


200 


KPISCOFAL    MiC'l'llOUISM. 


ill 


cliiinsfo  no  Ifss  tliau  (Voiu  darkness  to  liiilit,  as  well  as  tVoin  tliu 
jjowfT  of  Satan  unto  (Jod.  And  (3.)  The  Scriptures  describe 
the  joy  aoconiiianyin!^  the  witness  ot  the  S])irit,  as  tending  to 
promote  humility.  In  the  presumj>tuous,  deceived  man,  it  is 
the  contrary.  Instead  of  being  humble,  meek,  I'vutle,  teacha- 
uble,  slow  to  hear,  and  slow  to  wrath,  he  is  haughty,  assuming, 
quick  to  hear,  and  swift  to  speak,  fiery,  vehement,  and  eager  in 
his  conversation  :  yea,  sometimes  there  is  a  fierceness  in  his  air 
and  manner  of  speaking,  as  well  as  of  his  whole  deportment,  as 
if  he  were  going  to  take  the  matter  out  of  (iod's  handi,  aiid 
himself  to  devour  his  adversaries.  (4.)  The  Scriptures  teach, 
'  Tliis  is  the  love  of  Ood — the  sure  mark  thereof — that  we 
keep  his  commandments.'  The  genuine  lover  of  God  will  do 
his  will.  But  with  the  presumptuous  pretender  to  the  love  of 
God,  it  is  otherwise,  lie  is  not  zealous,  watchful  over  his 
tongue,  and  heart,  nor  anxious  to  deny  himself,  and  take  up 
his  cross.  It  follows,  from  undeniable  evidence,  that  he  cannot 
have  the  true  testimony  of  his  own  spirit.  He  cannot  be  con- 
scious of  having  those  marks  which  he  has  not,  nor  can  the 
Spirit  of  God  bear  witness  to  a  lie  ;  or  testify  that  lie  is  a  child 
of  God,  when  he  is  manifestly  u  child  of  the  devil. 

"  III.  What  is  the  witness  of  the  Spirit  ?  The  original  word 
may  be  rendered  either  the  witness,  or  (less  ambiguously),  the 
testimony/,  or  the  record..  1  John  v.  11.  I  do  not  mean  to 
say,  that  the  Spirit  of  God  testities  this  by  an  outward  voice ; 
no,  nor  always  by  an  inward  voice,  although  he  may  do  this 
sometimes.  Neither  do  I  suppose  that  he  always  applies  some 
Scripture  to  the  heart,  though  he  often  may  do  this.  But  he 
so  w.ks  upon  the  soul  by  his  immediate  influence,  and  by  a 
strong  though  inexplicable  operation,  that  the  stormy  winds 
and  troubled  waves  subside,  and  there  is  a  sweet  calm  :  the 
heart  resting  in  the  arms  of  Jesus,  and  the  sinner  being  clearly 
satisfied  that  God  is  reconciled,  and  that  all  his  iniquities  are 
fcrgiven,  and  his  sins  covered.  That  there  is  a  testimony  of 
the  Spirit,  is  acknowledged  by  all  parties.     And  it  is  not  ques- 


111 


WITNKSS    OF    THR    SI'IRIT. 


201 


tioned  vvho'-lior  thL'r(3  is  sui  indirect  wittioss  or  testimony  tlia 
we  are  the  children  of  God.  This  is  nearly,  if  not  exactly  the 
samo  with  the  testimoviy  of  a  good  conscience  towards  God. 
Nor  do  \.e  assert  there  can  bo  any  real  testimony  of  the  Spirit, 
without  the  fruit  of  the  Spirit.  We  assert,  on  tlie  contrary, 
thiu  the  fruit  of  the  Sj)irit  immediately  springs  from  this  testi- 
mony. But  the  point  in  (luostion  is,  whether  there  be  my  di- 
rect testimony  of  the  Spirit  at  all  ?  Whether  there  be  any 
other  testimony  of  the  Spirit  than  that  which  arises  from  a  con- 
Bciousness  of  the  fruit — I  believe  there  is. 

"  IV.  'The  Spirit  itself  beareth  witness  with  our  spirit,  that 
we  are  the  children  of  God.'  It  is  manifest  that  there  are  two 
witnesses  mentioned,  wlio  together  testify  the  same  thing — the 
Spirit  of  God,  and  our  own  spirit.  But  what  is  the  witness  of 
the  Spirit?  See  verse  1.5 — 'Ye  have  received  the  Spirit  cf 
adoption,  whereby  we  cry,  Abba,  Father,'  and  Gal.  iv.  G,  *  And 
because  yo  are  sons,  God  hath  sent  forth  the  Spirit  of  his  Son 
into  your  hearts,  crying,  Abba,  Father.'  And  experience 
agrees  witli  the  Scripture  testimonies.  It  has  been  confirmed 
by  a  cloud  of  living  and  dying  witnesses.  It  is  confirmed  by 
the  experience  of  many  at  the  present  day.  And  it  is  sanc- 
tioned by  this  additional  consideration,  that  all  those  who  are 
awakened  out  of  the  sleep  of  sin,  cannot  be  satisfied  with  any- 
thing short  of  the  direct  witness  of  God's  Spirit  that  they  arc 
pardoned." 

We  might  enlarge  our  extracts  from  the  valuable  writinPT 
of  Mr.  AVesley  on  this  subject,  but  we  have  jirobably  quoted 
enough  to  show  the  views  of  the  Methodist  Church  on  this  iir- 
portant  branch  of  Christian  doctrine.  From  these  extracts  we 
learn  that  the  order  of  operation  is,  (1.)  Repentance.  (''.) 
Faith.  (3.)  Pardon.  (4.)  The  witness  of  God's  Spirit.  ({>) 
The  fruits  of  the  Spirit.  (6.)  The  witness  of  our  own  spirits  • 
and  that  this  is  the  scriptural  arrangement,  or  order  of  opers. 
tion,  there  can  be  no  doubt,  any  more  than  that  the  direct  wit- 
ness of  the  Spirit  is  given  to  the  children  of  God.     A  few  scrip- 


I 


:r. 

if! 


I !; 


i 
I 
i 


m^^ams 


\ ,  vw 


,/. 


p,;-> 


'J02 


EPISCOi'AL    METHODISM. 


tiiral  quotntijns  bearing  on  the  latter  point,  will  close  this  Arti- 
cle. "  We  know  tliat  we  have  passed  from  death  unto  lif'-,  he- 
cause  we  love  the  brethren."  "  Helovcd,  now  are  wo  tlie  sons 
of  God,  and  it  doth  not  yet  appear  what  we  shall  be,  but  wo 
know  that  wlien  he  shall  appear,  we  shall  be  like  him,  for  we 
shall  -ee  him  as  he  is."  1  Jolm  iii.  2,  &c.  "  For  God  hath 
revealed  them  to  us,  by  his  Spirit;  for  the  Spirit  searcheth  all 
things,  yea,  the  deep  things  of  God."  1  Cor.  ii.  12.  Many 
other  passages  might  be  given,  but  the  above  must  suffice. 


II. 


OF    THE    SANOTIFTCATION    OF    nELIEVEKS. 

The  doctrine  of  entire  sar.ctification  is  one  of  the  important 
and  distinguishing  doctrines  of  the  Methodist  Church.  The 
t/iiv(/  intended  by  the  term  e?itire  ffoitctijiratiou,  is  frequently 
called  by  other  names  equally  expressive  and  comprehensive  : 
.'US,  Christki.n  2^erfcclion,  jxrfcct  love,  hdincsH  of  heart,  supreme 
love  to  God,  &c.  In  the  statement  of  this  doctrine,  we  feel  it 
important  to  abide  by  the  old  landmarks,  and  will  accordingly 
give  tiie  views  of  the  church,  in  Mr.  Wesley's  own  language, 
as  found  in  his  sermon  on  Christian  Perfection.  In  this  ser- 
mon he  inquires,  "  (1.)  In  what  sense  Christians  are  not;  (2.) 
in  what  sense  they  are  perfect." 

"  (1.)  In  what  sense  they  are  not.  They  are  not  perfect  in 
knowledge.  Tliey  are  not  free  from  ignorance — no,  nor  from 
mistake.  We  are  no  more  to  expect  any  living  man  to  be  in- 
fallible, than  to  be  omniscient.  They  are  not  free  from  infirm- 
ities, such  as  weakness,  and  slowness  of  understandin;Xi  irreofu- 
lar  quickness  or  heaviness  of  imagination.  Such,  in  another 
kind,  are  impropriety  of  language,  ungracefulness  of  pronuncia- 
tion ;  to  which  one  might  add  a  thousand  nameless  defects 
either  in  conversation  or  behavior.     From  such  infirmities  as 


8AN0T1F1CAT1ON    OK    BELIEVERS. 


203 


Iheae,  none  are  perfectly  freed,  till  their  spirits  return  to  (loci  ; 
neither  can  we  expect,  till  then,  to  be  wholly  freed  from  temp- 
tation ;  for  '  the  servant  is  not  above  his  master.'  But  neither 
in  this  sense  is  there  any  absolute  perfection  upon  eartii.  There 
is  no  perfection  of  degrees,  none  which  does  not  admit  of  a  con- 
tinual increase. 

"  (2.)  In  what  sense  they  are  perfect.  (.)bserve,  we  are  not 
now  speaking  of  babes  in  Christ,  but  adult  Christians.  But 
even  babes  in  Christ  are  so  far  perfect  as  not  to  commit  sin. 
This,  St.  John  affirms  expressly  ;  and  it  cannot  be  disproved  by 
the  examples  of  the  Old  Testament.  For  what  if  the  holiest 
of  the  ancient  -Jews  did  commit  sin  ?  Wo  cannot  infer  from 
hence,  that '  all  Christians  do,  and  must  commit  sin,  as  long  as 
they  live.' 

"  But  does  not  the  Scripture  say,  '  A  just  man  sinneth  seven 
times  a  day  V  It  does  not.  Indeed,  it  says,  '  A  just  man 
falleth  seven  times  ;'  but  this  is  quite  another  thing  ;  for,  First, 
the  words  '  a  day'  are  not  in  the  text.  Secondly,  here  is  no 
mention  of  falling  into  sin  at  all.  What  is  here  mentioned,  is, 
falling  into  temporal  affliction. 

"  But  elsewhere  Solomon  says,  '  There  is  no  man  that  sin- 
neth not.'  Doubtless  thus  it  was  in  the  days  of  Solomon  ;  yea, 
and  from  Solomon  to  Christ  there  was  then  no  man  that  sinned 
not.  But  whatever  was  the  case  with  those  under  the  law,  we 
may  safely  affirm,  wah  St.  John,  that  since  the  Gospel  was 
given,  '  he  that  is  born  of  God,  sinneth  no*.' 

"  The  privileges  of  Christians  are  in  no  wise  to  be  measured 
by  what  the  Old  Testament  records  concerning  those  who  were 
under  the  Jewish  dispensation  ;  seeing  the  fulness  of  time  is 
now  come,  the  Holy  Ghost  is  now  given,  the  great  salvation  of 
Cod  is  now  bi ought  to  men,  by  the  revelation  of  Jesus  Christ. 
The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  now  set  up  on  earth,  concerning 
which  the  Spirit  of  God  declared  of  old  time  (so  far  is  David 
from  being  the  standard  or  pattern  of  Christian  perftctiori.) 
'  He  that  is  feeble  among  them  at  that  day,  shall  be  f*s  Davli. 

16 


ill  li 


ni  I 


hi 


!  ii 


i 


204 


KPISCOI'AL    MKTIIODISM. 


and  tlio  house  of  David  «liall  be  as  the  angol  of  the  Lord  be- 
fur(!  tlicin.' 

"  *  But  the  ai)ostlos  coiiimittitd  sin;  I 'cter,  by  dissembling, 
Paul,  l)y  liis  nliarj)  contention  with  Jiarnahas.'  Suppose  they 
did,  will  you  ari;iie  thus — '  If  two  of  th"'  apostles  once  commit- 
ted sill,  then  all  other  Christians,  in  all  rtnes,  do,  and  must 
commit  sin,  as  long  as  they  live  V  Nay,  CJod  forbid  we  should 
thus  sj/cak.  No  necessity  for  sin  was  laid  ujion  them  ;  the 
grace  of  (Jod  was  surely  sulHcient  for  them.  And  it  is  suffi- 
cient for  Us  ;it  this  day. 

"  liut  St.  .fames  says,  '  In  many  things  we  offend  all.'  True, 
but  who  are  the  persons  here  spoken  of?  Why,  those  many 
masters  f)r  teachers  whom  (iod  had  not  sent;  not  the  aj)ostle 
himself,  nor  any  real  ChriNtian.  That  in  the  word  iffr-,  us(mI  by 
a  figure  of  speech  common  in  all  other  as  well  as  the  inspired 
writings,  the  apostle  coidd  not  possibly  ine.Iud(!  himself,  or  any 
other  true  believer,  apjjears,  first,  from  the  ninth  verse,  'There- 
with bless  wc  (jrod,  and  therewith  curs((  wc  m(;n.'  Surely  not 
we  apostles  !  not  wc  believers  !  Secondly,  from  the  words  ])re- 
ceiling  the  text:  'My  brethren,  l>.  not  many  masters — or 
teachers — knowing  that  we  shall  receive  the  greaU-r  condem- 
nation. For  in  many  things  w(^  offend  all.'  Wei  Who? 
Not  the  apostles,  nor  true  believtirs,  but  they  who  were  to  re- 
ceive the  'greater  condemnation,'  because  of  those  many  oti'en- 
ces.  Nay,  thirdly,  the  verse  itself  proves  that  'we  offend  all,' 
cannot  be  spoken  either  of  all  m<'n,  or  of  all  Christians  ;  for  in 
it  immediately  follows  the  mention  of  a  num  who  offends  not 
as  the  u'c  first  mentioned  did ;  from  whom,  therefore,  he  is 
professedly  contradistinguished  and  pronounced  a  '  perfect 
man.' 

"But  St.  John  liimself  says,  'If  we  say  that  we  have  no  sin 
we  deceive  ourselves;'  and  'if  we  say  we  have  not  sinned,  we 
make  liim  a  liar,  and  his  word  is  not  in  us.' 

"  I  answer,  (1.)  The  tenth  verse  fixes  the  sense  of  the  eighth  '■ 
'  If  we  say  we  have  no  sin,'  'in  the  former,  being  explained  by, 


flANCriKIOATION    OK    RKMKVKKg. 


20. 


*lf  WO  say  wo  luivo  not  sinned'  in  tlio  lattcT  verse.  (2.)  Tlio 
point  umlor  cunsicU'ration  is  not  wliothcr  wo  Imvo,  or  luivc*  not 
•iiined  liorotoforo ;  and  neither  of  those  versos  assorts  that  w«t 
do  sin  or  commit  sin  now.  (.').)  The  ninth  vorso  ex|)lains  l)oth 
tho  eighth  and  tenth  :  '  If  wo  confess  our  sins,  lie  is  fiitnlid 
and  just,'  not  only  to  fori^ivo  us  our  sins,  but  also  to  cleanse  us 
from  all  unriobtcousness,  that  wo  may  'go  and  sin  no  nio'v.' 
In  conformity,  therefore,  l)otli  to  tho  doctrines  of  St.  .lolin  and 
the  whole  tenor  of  the  New  Testament,  wo  fix  this  conclusion : 
a  Christian  is  so  far  perfect  as  not  to  commit  sin. 

"This  is  the  glorious  privilege  of  every  Christian,  yea, 
though  he  bo  but  a  babe  in  Christ.  But  it  is  only  of  grown 
Christians  it  can  be  aflirmod  they  are  in  such  a  sense  perfect, 
as,  secondly,  to  be  freed  from  evil  thoughts  and  evil  tempers. 
From  sinful  or  evil  thoughts.  Indeed,  whence  should  they 
spring?  'Out  of  the  lieart  of  man,' if  at  all, 'proceed  evil 
thoughts.'  If,  therefore,  the  heart  bo  no  longer  evil,  then  evil 
thoughts  no  longer  proceed  out  of  it ;  for,  '  a  good  tree  cannot 
bring  fijrth  evil  fruit' 

"  And  as  they  are  freed  from  evil  thoughts,  so  likewise  from 
evil  tempers.  Every  one  of  these  can  say,  with  St  Paul,  '  I 
am  crucified  with  Jesus;  nevertheless  I  live;  yet  not  I,  but 
Christ  livcth  in  me;'  words  that  manifestly  describe  a  deliver- 
ance from  inward,  as  well  as  from  outward  sin.  'For  what 
communion  hath  light  with  darkness,  or  Christ  with  Belial !' 

"  He,  therefore,  who  liveth  in  these  Christians,  hath  'puri- 
fied their  hearts  by  faitli,'  insomuch  that  every  one  who  has 
'Christ  in  him  the  hope  of  glory,'  'purifieth  himself  oven  as  he 
is  pure.'  lie  is  purilied  from  jiride,  for  Christ  was  lowly  in 
heart;  hois  pure  from  desire  and  self-will,  for  Christ  desired 
only  to  do  the  will  of  his  Father ;  and  he  is  pure  from  anger 
in  the  common  sense  of  the  word,  for  Christ  was  meek  and 
gentle. 

"  Thus  doth  '  Jesus  save  his  people  from  their  sins  ;'  not 
only  outward  sins,  but  from  the  sins  of  their  hearts.     '  True,' 


^ff 


206 


EI'lSCO^'AL    METHODISM. 


-ays  some,  '  but  not  till  death,  not  in  this  world.'  Nay,  St. 
John  says,  '  Herein  is  our  love  made  perfect  that  we  may  have 
ooldness  in  the  day  of  judgment ;  because  as  he  is  so  are  we 
In  this  world.''  '  If  we  walk  in  the  light,  as  he  is  in  the  light, 
we  have  fellowship  one  with  another,  and  the  blood  of  Jesus 
Christ,  his  Son,  cleanseth  us  from  all  sin  !'  Now,  it  is  evident 
that  the  apostle  speaks  of  a  deliverance  wi  ought  in  this  world, 
for  he  saith  not  the  blood  of  Christ  tvill  cleanse  at  the  hour  of 
death,  or  in  the  day  of  judgment,  but  it  cleanseth  at  the  time 
present  us  living  Christians  from  all  sin." 

Much  more  might  be  added  from  the  excellent  sermon  in 
which  the  above  extracts  are  found,  but  we  have  stated  enough 
to  show  what  w^re  the  views  of  Mr.  Wesley  in  regard  to  the 
doctrine  of  sanctification,  or  Christian  perfection.  And  we 
may  here  remark  that  precisely  the  same  views  are  entertained 
by  the  Methodist  ministry  of  the  present  day  in  regard  to  this 
important  branch  of  Christian  theology,  as  are  above  taught 
by  the  venerated  founder  of  Methodism  ;  and  what  is  still  more 
pleasing,  hundreds  of  them,  as  well  as  thousands  of  the  laity, 
have  the  abiding  witness  that  they  love  God  with  all  the  heart, 
and  their  lives  and  deportment  evince  the  correctness  of  the 
testimony,. 


III. 


OF    THE    POSSIBILITY    OF    FALLING    FROM    GRACE. 


The  question  "  May  a  child  of  God  totally  and  finally  fall 
from  grace,  so  as  to  be  eternally  lost  ?"  is  purely  a  scriptural 
ruestion.  or  rather  a  question  which  Scripture  only  can  answer; 
«nd  when  thus  answered,  reason  and  common  sense  must  unite 
in  pronouncing  the  decision  of  Scripture  correct.  It  is  well 
known  that  the  Methodist  Church  considers  the  answer  of 
Scripture  to  be  in  the  affirmative,  and  only  in  the  affirmative 
of  this  question,  and  consequently  that  she  repudiates  the  doc- 


POSSIBILITY    OF    FALLING    FROM    GRACE. 


20'< 


(fine  of  the  saints'  necessary  final  perseverance.    But  to  the  law 
and  to  the  testimony  on  this  point ;  and — 

1.  The  Old  Testament  plainly  teaches  the  possibility  of  total 
and  final  apostasy.  In  Ezek.  xviii.  24,  it  is  said,  "  When  the 
righteous  turneth  away  from  his  righteousness  and  committeth 
iniquity  ;  in  his  trespass  that  he  hath  trespassed,  and  in  his 
sin  that  he  hath  sinned,  shall  he  die."  On  this  passage  it  may 
be  remarked,  (1.)  That  turning  away  from  righteousness  is  pred- 
icated of  the  ri(/hteous  man,  which  can  only  refer  to  a  child 
of  God.  (2.)  That  the  righteous  man  is  sui)posed  to  turn  away 
from  his  righteousness.  (3.)  That,  having  turned  away  from 
his  righteousness,  he  commits  iniquity.  (4.)  That  having 
turned  away  and  committed  iniquity,  in  the  iniquity  that  he 
bath  committed,  and  in  the  sin  he  hath  sinned,  hu  shall  die. 
(o.)  That  the  iniquity  and  sin  here  alluded  to  is  that  which  in- 
volves final  and  total  apostasy,  as  is  evident  from  the  fact,  that 
were  it  only  a  partial  fall  which  is  intended,  then  every  act  of 
religious  dereliction  would  involve  the  transgressor  in  death. 
Hence,  Moses,  David,  and  Peter,  all  of  whom  sinned  after 
having  become  the  children  of  God,  must  necessarily  have 
perished.  (0.)  The  death  alluded  to  in  the  passage  is  not  the 
death  of  the  body,  for  whether  the  righteous  sin  or  no,  they 
must  die  temporally ;  neither  is  it  spiritual  death  which  is 
alluded  to,  because  the  latter  is  the  co  isequence,  and  not  the 
concomitant  of  transgression  ;  thus,  "  wl:  n  lust  hath  conceived 
it  bringeth  forth  sin ;  and  sin  when  it  is  finished  bringeth  forth 
death;"  and  for  yet  another  reason :  in  a  succeeding  verso  it 
is  said,  "  When  a  righteous  man  turneth  away  from  his  right- 
eousness and  committeth  iniquity  and  dieth  in  them  ;  for  his 
iniquity  that  lie  hath  done  shall  he  die ;"  giving  us  plainly  to 
understand,  that  if  the  backslider  from  God  dies  in  his  iniquity, 
that  is,  dies  temporally,  then  for  his  iniquity  he  shall  also  die, 
that  is,  suffer  the  pains  of  eternal  death.  Other  passages  of 
the  Old  Testament  might  be  adduced  in  support  of  the  doctrine 
ander  consideration,  but  the  above  are  sufficient  to  prove  what 


208 


EPISCOPAL    METHODISM. 


wa^  Jewish  theology  on  that  point,  as  taught  by  the  prophet 
of  God. 

2.  Let  us  now  inquire  what  the  New  Testament  says  in  ref- 
erence to  the  same  thing. 

Paul,  in  1  Tim.  i.  18,  19,  says,  "War  a  good  warfare; 
holding  faith  and  a  good  conscience ;  which  some  having  put 
away,  concerning  faith  have  made  shipwreck."  From  these 
words  it  is  evident,  (1.)  That  Ilymenius  and  Alexander — to 
wliom  the  apostle  refers — liad  once  been  in  possession  of  faith, 
t)therwise  they  could  not  have  put  it  away.  (2.)  Their  faith 
wjis  of  the  right  kind  ;  it  was  possessed  in  connection  with  affood 
conscience,  and  both  were  of  the  kind  which  Paul  exhorted 
Timotliy  to  hold,  or  retain.  (3.)  These  men,  possessing  faith 
and  a  good  conscience,  had  put  them  away.  (4.)  They  had 
made  shipwreck  of  the  same,  implying  that  their  faith  and 
good  conscience  were  irretiievably  lost.  (5.)  Their  final  end 
is  predicted  by  the  apostle  in  another  verse,  "The  Lord  shall 
reward  him — Alexander — according  to  his  works ;"  his  evil 
works,  so  that  in  the  case  of  one,  at  least,  of  these  backsliders 
the  loss  of  the  soul  is  surely  predicated  of  one  who  had  once 


eavinfj  faith. 


In  Rom.  xi.  11,  17,  and  subsequent  verses,  Pau^^  in  ;.<;drGss- 
ing  his  brethren,  says,  "  Some  of  the  branches  are  broken  off, 
and  thou  art  grafted  in  among  them,  and  with  them  partakest 
of  the  root  and  Witness  of  the  olivt-tree.  Be  not  hio;h-minded, 
but  fear :  if  God  spared  not  the  natural  branches,  take  heed 
lest  he  spare  not  thee.  Behold  the  goodness  and  severity  of 
God :  on  them  which  fell  severity,  but  toward  thee  goodness, 
if  thou  continue  in  his  goodness,  otherwise  thou  shalt  be  cut 
off."  On  this  passage  we  remark,  (1.)  That  the  Roman  be- 
lievers are  said  to  be  grafted  into  the  olive-tree,  and  to  partake 
of  the  root  and  fatness  thereof  (2.)  Paul  assorts  in  the  16th 
verse,  that  if  the  "  root  be  holy  so  are  the  branches  ;"  conse- 
quently these  branches  were  holy.  (3.)  If  these  branches  con- 
tinued not  in  the  goodness  of  God,  they  were  to  be  cut  off  as 


.1 


) 


f 


POSSIBILITY    OF    FALLING    FROM    GRACE. 


209 


» 


!■••'•  4 


»/ere  the  natural  branches — the  Jews.  (4.)  When  a  branch 
is  broken  off  from  the  parent  tree  it  must  die,  unless  grafted  in 
again.  (5.)  No  promise  or  intimation  is  given  that  when  cut 
off  those  branches  should  ever  be  restored. 

A  similar  figure  is  employed  by  our  Saviour  when  discours- 
ing with  his  disciples,  as  recorded  in  John  xv.  2,  "Every 
branch  in  me  that  beareth  not  fruit  he — the  Father — taketh 
away ;''  and  again,  in  verse  5,  "  If  a  man  abide  not  in  me  he 
is  cast  forth  as  a  branch,  and  is  withered."  Here  observe,  (1.) 
That  Christ  represents  his  disciples  as  branches  of  the  true  vine : 
"I  am  the  true  vine,"  verse  1.  (2.)  That  if  any  of  the 
branches  abide  not  in  Christ,  the  Father  taketh  the:ii  away. 
(3.)  That  when  cast  forth  as  a  branch  they  are  withered — be- 
come dry,  dead,  and  fit  only  for  fuel.  (4.)  That  while  in  this 
dry  and  withered  state  they  are,  as  the  figure  shows,  "  gather- 
ed and  burned ;"  a  fearful  evidence  that  those  who  are  in 
Christ  Jesus,  if  they  abide  not  in  him,  they  shall  necessarily 
perish. 

Another  evidence  of  the  possibility  of  total  and  final  apostasy 
is  found  in  John  xvii.  17,  and  the  following  verses:  "Holy 
Father,  keep  through  thy  name  those  whom  thou  liast  given 
me,  that  they  may  be  one,  as  we  are ;"  "  those  that  thou  gavest 
me  I  have  kept,  and  none  of  them  is  lost,  but  tl-e  son  of  per- 
dition." We  here  observe,  (1.)  That  the  persons  spoken  of 
were  given  to  Christ  by  the  Father.  (2.)  That  the  object  of 
thus  giving  them  to  Christ  was,  that  tliey  might  be  one  with 
him  as  he  was  one  with  the  Father.  (3.)  'J'hat  this  unity  o^ 
oneness  implied  a  sameness  of  spirit,  of  interests,  and  of  enjoy- 
ments; in  other  words,  those  given  to  Christ  were  really  ana 
truly  his,  as  adopted  sons,  (4.)  That,  notwithstanding  this 
unity  and  adoption,  one  of  them  was  lost — the  son  of  perdition. 
(5.)  That  this  loss  was  total  and  final,  is  abundantly  proved  by 
the  Scriptures  which  record  his  fall,  his  violent  death,  and  the 
forfeiture  of  his  privileges  as  a  Christian  and  Christian  mitiistei. 
From  these  privileges  "  Judas,  by  transgression,  fell.''^  Acts  i. 


wwm 


510 


EPISCOPAL    MRTHODISM. 


26.  Now,  how  could  he  fall  if  he  never  had  stood  ?  Hovr 
could  Christ  have  lost  him  if  he  never  had  him  ? 

In  Matt,  XXV.  1-12,  is  recorded  the  parable  of  the  Ten  Vir- 
gins, five  of  whom  had  evidently  grace  in  their  hearts,  but  who, 
through  carelessness  and  improvidence,  neglected  to  keep  in 
store  a  good  supply  against  the  evil  day,  and  who  in  conse- 
quence of  such  neglect  were  shut  out  in  outer  darkness.  But 
not  to  detain  the  reader  with  a  critical  axpr  ^ination  of  this  pas- 
sage, we  pass  to  notice  another  of  great  importance  in  the 
settlement  of  this  controvei  ed  point. 

Heb.  vi.  4,  5,  6,  "For  it  is  impossible  for  those  who  were 
once  enlightened,  and  have  tasted  of  the  heavenly  gift,  and 
were  made  partakers  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  have  tasted  the 
good  word  of  God,  and  the  powers  of  the  world  to  come,  if 
they  shall  fall  away,  to  renew  them  again  unio  repentance ; 
seeing  they  crucify  to  themselves  the  Son  of  God  afre.^^h,  and 
put  him  to  an  open  shame."  It  is  generally  admitted  that  the 
persons  spoken  of  in  this  passage  are  true  believers.  Should 
any  doubt  this  fact  they  will  observe,  (1.)  That  the  persons 
spoken  of  were  once  enliyhtcned.  (2.)  They  had  tasted  of  the 
heavenly  gift.  (3.)  They  were  made  partakers  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  in  its  regenerating  and  sanctifying  influences.  (4.) 
They  had  tasted  of  the  good  word  of  God ;  and,  (5.)  Of  the 
powers  of  the  world  to  come.  An  expression  significant  of  a 
very  high  degree  of  grace,  similar  to  that  enjoyed  by  the 
apostle  Paul,  who  in  his  state  of  rapture  was  borne  aloft  to  the 
third  heavens,  and  saw  things  and  heard  wordt;  that  it  was 
"  not  lawful  for  man  to  utter ;"  a  state  where  the  body  becomes 
the  temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  heaven  the  scene  of  the  soul's 
rapturous  delight.  All  these  considerations  prove  that  the  per- 
sons spoken  of  in  the  text  were  true  believers,  and  that  too  of 
the  most  exalted  character.  But  these  believers  might  fall 
away. 

"  If  they  shall  fall  away,"  has  been  rendered  by  good  bibli- 
cal critics,  "  have  fallen  away  ;"  but,  not  to  insist  on  this  ren 


POSSIBILITY    OF    FALLING    FROM    GRACE. 


211 


I 


dering,  the  fearful  possibility  of  apostasy  is  ?z  plainly  and 
clearly  taught  in  the  text  as  it  is  possible  for  language  to  teach 
it ;  for,  were  it  impossible  that  these  should  fail,  it  would  be 
not  only  improper  but  dishonest  in  the  apostle  to  predicate  thb 
opposite  of  what  is  true  in  the  matter.  Paul  was  not  in  the 
habit,  we  opine,  of  trifling  with  the  feelings  of  his  Christian 
brethren,  nor  of  "  handling  the  word  of  God  deceitfully."  Ad- 
mitting, then,  the  possibility  of  their  falling  away,  the  question 
occurs,  "llow  far  could  they  fell?"  (1.)  This  falling  away  u 
not  a  mere  partial  declension  in  religious  feeling,  or  a  mere 
temporary  alienation  from  God,  but  a  total  and  final  apostasy 
from  the  faith  of  the  gospel ;  i  falling  away  so  far  and  so  low, 
that  the  wretched  apostate  "  crucifies  tlia  Son  of  God  afresh 
and  puts  him  to  an  open  shame" — not  only  sins  against  his 
Saviour  openly  and  wickedly,  and  of  set  purpose  exposes  his 
Lord  to  the  jeers  and  taunts  of  the  ungodly ;  but  actually 
glories  in  his  shame.  Would  to  God  that  we  could  believe 
that  the  present  age  afforded  no  examples  of  this  kind  of 
apostasy  ;  but  our  own  observation  and  knowledge  in  regard 
to  what  some  men  have  been,  and  what  they  are  now,  con- 
strains us  to  believe,  that  in  the  middle  of  the  nineteenth  cen- 
tury, there  are  many  living,  fearful  examples  of  this  kind  of 
apostasy. 

(2.)  The  impossibility  of  renewing  such  apostates  to  repent- 
ance is  plainly  asserted  in  the  text.  It  is  impossible  to  renew 
the  grace  of  repentance  in  their  hearts.  Such  has  been  the 
magnitude  of  their  crimes  against  their  Saviour,  and  the  stub- 
bornness and  wickedness  of  their  hearts,  that  it  is  not  in  the 
power  of  divine  grace  to  renew  them  to  repentance. 

(3.)  If  it  is  impossible  to  renew  the  grace  of  repentance  in 
the  hearts  of  such  apostates,  then  their  doom  is  unalterably 
fixed,  and  their  "damnation  is  sure." 

In  Heb.  x.  20-29,  we  have  another  proof  of  the  possibility 
of  falling  from  grace,  and  of  being  finally  lost.  "  If  we  sin 
wilfully  after  we  have  received  the  knowledge  of  the  truth,  there 


\w^ 


212 


EPISCOPAL    METHODISM, 


remaineth  no  more  sacrifice  for  sin ;  but  a  certain  fearful  look- 
ing for  of  judgment  and  fiery  indignation  which  shall  devour 
the  adversaries.  He  that  despised  Moses'  law  died  without 
mercy :  of  how  much  sorer  punishment  shall  he  be  thought 
worthy  who  hath  trodden  under  foot  the  Son  of  God,  and  hath 
counted  the  blood  of  the  covenant  wherewith  he  was  sanctified 
an  unholy  thing,  and  hath  done  despite  to  the  Spirit  of  grace." 
Tiiis  passage  is  fearfully  pregnant  with  meaning.  It  teaches, 
(1.)  That  it  is  possible  to  sin  wilfully  after  we  have  received  the 
knowledge  of  the  truth.  (2.)  That  this  sin  may  consist  in  wil- 
fully treading  under  foot  the  Son  of  God  ;  and  in  counting — 
esteeming — the  blood  of  the  covenant  wherewith  he  was  sanc- 
tified an  unholy  thing — a  sin  very  similar  in  its  nature  and 
Vesults  to  the  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost.  (3.)  That  those 
who  commit  the  above  sin  are  worthy  of  a  much  sorer  punish- 
ment than  those  who  died  under  Moses'  law,  and  as  no  punish- 
ment in  time  can  be  greater  or  sorer  than  the  death  of  the 
body,  so  the  so7-er  punishment  reserved  for  these  apostates  from 
sanctifying  grace  is  the  eternal  death  of  the  soul. 

In  closing  this  Article,  it  may  be  proper  to  state  a  few  rea- 
sonable objections  against  the  doctrine  of  the  necessary  final 
perseverance  of  the  saints. 

1.  We  object  to  it  because  it  is  an  essential  link  in  the  chain 
of  Calvinism ;  a  system  which  teaches  tliat  God  has  foreor- 
dained ivhatsoever  comes  to  pass ;  that  God  has  elected  some 
men  to  eternal  life,  and  doomed  others  io  eternal  death,  with- 
out any  foresight  of  the  faith  and  good  works  of  the  one,  or  un- 
belief and  evil  works  of  the  other  ;  a  system  which  teaches  the 
possibility  of  the  damnation  of  infents,  and  enforces  the  doc- 
trines of  the  "  horrible  decrees." 

2.  We  object  to  it  because  it  effectually  destroys  man's  fi-ee 
moral  agency.  Once  converted,  no  will  or  power  that  man  has 
in  himself,  can  prevent  his  entrance  into  heaven.  If  he  is  as 
v/icked  as  the  devil,  he  must  go  to  heaven,  and  he  cannot  help 
it  if  he  would. 


^ 


ETEKNAL    REWARDS    AND    PUNISHMENTS. 


213 


■■ 


.f,     k 


3.  We  object  to  tliis  doctrine,  because  it  tends  to  beget  iu- 
difference  anc'  coldness  on  the  part  of  Christians,  and  gives 
license  to  crime  and  immorality  on  the  part  of  backsliders.  The 
Byren  song  of"  once  in  grace,  always  in  grace,"  has  no  doubt 
lured  many  to  destruction. 

4.  We  object  to  it  again,  because  it  draws  an  unwarrantablo 
distinction  between  the  sins  of  the  believer,  so  called,  and  those 
of  the  unbeliever ;  to  the  latter  it  says,  "  sin,  and  you  shall  be 
lost ;"  to  the  former,  "  sin,  and  you  must  be  saved,"  while  God 
says  to  all — saints  or  sinners — "  The  soul  that  sinneth,  it  shall 
die." 

5.  We  object  to  it,  because  it  stands  diametrically  opposed 
to  all  those  warnings,  threatenings,  expostulations,  and  declara- 
tions, made  in  the  word  of  God  in  reference  to  the  unfaithful. 
What  do  these  warnintrs  mean  ?  does  God  trifle  with  the  feel- 
ings  and  fears  of  his  children  ?  If  not,  these  children  may  fall 
from  grace,  and  be  lost  forever. 

6.  We  object  to  the  doctrine  of  necessary  perseverance,  finally, 
because  it  is  opposed  to  all  the  conditional  promises  of  the  gos- 
pel. "  Be  thou  faithful  unto  death,"  says  Chn>t,  "  and  I  will 
give  thee  a  crown  of  life."  This  doctrine,  in  substance,  tells 
Christ  not  to  be  alarmed  about  his  children,  that  they  cannot 
possibly  be  otherwise  than  faithful ;  while  to  the  latter  it  says, 
"  If  you  fall  into  the  most  beastly,  and  accursed  sins,  you  will 
have  a  '  Httle  spark  of  grace'  remaining,  and  the  crown  of  life 
shall,  and  must  be  yours  !" 


IV. 


OF    ETERNAL    REWARDS    AND    PUNISHMENTS. 


The  Methodists  believe,  as  all  know,  that  the  rewards  of  the 
righteous,  and  the  punishment  of  the  wicked,  in  the  future 
Btate,  will  be  endless  in  duration.     In  reference  to  the  eternal 


lU.mil.^i'H. 


'•     1 


214 


KPISCOPAL    METHODISM. 


"ewards  of  the  righteous,  it  will  not  be  necessary,  in  this  Article, 
to  maice  any  remarks,  as  no  believer  in  the  Bible  disputes  this 
point  of  Christian  theology.  In  reference  to  the  eternal  pun- 
ishment of  the  wicked,  it  may  be  proper  to  state  our  views  as 
briefly  as  possible,  as  wc  have  already  transcended  our  pre- 
scribed limits  in  this  part  of  the  work. 

The  doctrine,  then,  of  the  Methodist  Church,  is,  that  the 
punishment  of  the  impenitent  and  incorrigible  sinner,  extends 
to  a  future  state,  and  is  endless  in  duration. 

1.  That  sinners  are  punished  after  the  death  of  the  body,  is 
evident,  because  some  sins  cannot  possibly  be  punished  in  this 
hfe.  Witness  the  suicide,  and  the  inebriate,  who  dies  in  a  fit 
of  drunkenness ;  witness  the  highway  robber  and  murderer, 
who  falls  by  the  hand  of  his  victim.  Now,  either  these  receive 
no  punishment  at  all ;  or  they  receive  their  punishment  before 
the  commission  of  their  crimes,  or  they  receive  such  punish- 
ment in  a  future  state.  Which  is  the  most  reasonable  conclu- 
sion, we  leave  our  readers  to  infer. 

2.  That  there  is  future  punishment  in  reserve  for  the  wicked 
appears  farther  evident  from  the  fact  that  virtue  and  vice, 
righteousness  and  wickedness,  must  affect  men  in  the  coming 
state  of  being.  What !  are  all  to  share  alike  in  the  joys  of 
heaven  ?  The  idea  is  absurd.  "  If  there  bo  any  virtue,"  it 
will  have  its  future  reward,  and  if  there  be  unrepented  wicked- 
ness, it  must  have  its  punishment ;  Scripture  and  icason  de- 
mand it. 

3.  The  Scriptures  abundantly  teach  the  doctrine  of  future 
punishment.  We  read  of  the  "  lake  of  fire,"  of  "  outer  dark 
ness,"  of  "  hell,"  "  torment,"  &c.  &c.,  all  of  which  are  applie( 
to  the  state  or  condition  of  sinners  in  the  spirit  world. 

4.  The  fact  of  there  being  a  day  of  general  judgement,  whicl 
ve  have  elsewhere  shown  in   our   remarks  on  Article  III.,  is 
p-oof  of  the  future  punishment  of  ♦he  wicked.     If  the  day  of 
judgment  is  future,  then,  of  course,  the  punishment  of  the 
wicked  is  future,  for  it  is  after  the  judgment  that  the  wicked 


ETERNAL    RF WARDS    AND    PUN:SHMENTS. 


215 


are  said  to  "  go  away  into  everlasting  punishment ;"  and  "  as 
it  id  appointed  unto  men  once  to  die,  and  after  this  the  judg- 
ment," 80  is  it  evident  that  the  punishment  of  the  wicked  will 
be  after  death. 

6.  The  phrases  which  are  used  to  denote  the  entire  period 
of  man's  earthly  existence,  and  those  which  are  employed  to 
denote  his  j)Uiiishment  as  a  sinner,  are  so  dissimilar  as  to  ren- 
der it  morally  certain  that  his  punishment  shall  extend  to  a  fu- 
ture state.  On  the  one  hand,  his  stay  on  earth  is  likened  to  a 
shadow,  to  vapor,  to  grass,  to  a  weaver's  shuttle  ;  as  being 
fihort,  few,  &c.;  on  the  other  hand,  his  punishment  is  repre- 
sented as  being  of  unlimited  duration,  as  being  forever  and 
ever. 

These  considerations  abundantly  prove  that  the  punishment 
of  the  wicked  will  extend  beyond  time.  Another  important 
question  is.  Will  the  punishment  of  the  wicked  be  eternal  ? 
Universalism  says  no,  the  Bible  and  the  Methodist  Church  say 
yes  !  which  will  the  reader  believe  ?  That  the  Bible  teaches 
the  doctrine  of  endless  punishment,  must  be  evident  to  the  can- 
did and  sincere  inquirer  after  truth. 

1.  The  terms  employed  to  denote  the  duration  of  future  pun- 
ishment, prove  its  eternity.  Everlasting,  eternal,  forever,  for- 
ever and  ever,  unquenchable,  dieth  not,  are  all  employed  to 
signify  the  duration  of  punishment.  These  words  literally 
mean  endless,  and  any  person  who  will  take  the  trouble  to  ex- 
amine a  Greek  or  Hebrew  lexicon,  will  find  that  the  original, 
as  well  as  the  rendering,  mean  nothing  more,  and  nothing  less, 
literally,  than  perpetual,  immortal,  unintermitted,  &c. 

2.  No  stronger  terms  are  used,  nor  can  be  used — for  the 
good  reason  that  there  are  no  stronger  ones — to  denote  the  du- 
ration of  the  rewards  of  the  righteous,  than  those  employed  to 
signify  the  duration  of  the  punishment  of  the  wicked.  If  this 
then  is  so,  is  it  not  clear  that  such  punishment  will  be  unlim- 
ited, or  else  that  the  happiness  of  the  righteous  will  come  to  an 
und  ? 


10 


EPISCOPAL    METHODISM. 


3.  The  free  nionil  agency  of  man,  and  the  conditionality  of 
salvation,  prove  the  (ft^.iilty  of  punishment.  As  a  moral  agent, 
man  is  the  suhjcct  of  nKjral  government ;  as  a  free  moral  agent, 
we  contend — Universalism  and  Calvinism  to  the  contrary  not- 
withstanding— that  man  cannot  be  saved  without  the  consent 
of  his  own  will.  Now,  as  salvation  depends  on  his  own  choice, 
it  must,  in  the  nature  of  things,  be  conditional,  and  if  condi- 
tional, then  salvation  may  be  lost ;  and  if  there  is  one  truth 
more  plainly  revealed  than  another,  in  the  word  of  God,  it  is 
the  conditionality  of  salvation.  Obey  and  live  ;  disobey  and 
die,  is  the  substance  of  Scripture  doctrine  on  this  ])oint. 

4.  Those  Scriptures  which  contain  warnings  and  threatenings 
of  future,  eternal  wrath,  prove  the  possibility  of  coming  short 
of  eternal  salvation.  These  are  so  numerous,  and  so  well 
known,  that  it  seems  unnecessary  to  repeat  them.  We  will 
quote  a  few,  and  leave  the  entire  subject  with  the  reader.  "  He 
that  believeth  not,  shall  be  damned."  "  These  shall  go  away 
into  everlasting  punishment."  "  Let  us  therefore  fear,  lest  a 
promise  being  left  us  of  entering  into  his  rest,  any  of  you  should 
seem  to  come  short  of  it."  "  Depart,  ye  cursed,  into  everlast- 
ing fire,  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his  angels."  "  Where  their 
worm  dieth  not,  and  the  fire  is  not  quenched." 

We  have  thus  endeavored,  as  comprehensively  as  possible, 
to  state  in  our  remarks  on  the  Articles  of  Religion,  and  in  the 
Appendix  thereto,  the  leading  doctrines  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church.  Our  circumscribed  limits  have  not  allowed  us 
to  enlarge  upon  these  as  much  as  we  should  have  done,  had 
the  work  been  entirely  devoted  to  that  subject.  As  it  is,  we 
believe  that  sufficient  has  been  said  to  show  the  scriptural  char- 
acter of  our  doctrines,  and  to  prove  the  fact  that  in  deducing 
articles  of  religious  faith  from  the  Holy  Scriptures,  the  church 
has  not  followed  "  cunningly  devised  fables,"  nor  adopted  the 
inventions  of  men  as  a  standard  of  Christian  theology  in  oppo- 
sition to  the  express  warrant  of  Scripture. 


BOOK    III. 


POLITY  OF  EPISCOPAL  METHODISM. 


CHAPTER    I 
SECTION  I. 

INTRODUCTION. 

A.S  Mr.  Wesley,  under  God,  was  the  founder  of  the  Mvdiod- 
iat  Societies,  and  the  expounder  of  Methodist  theology,  so  waa 
he  the  originator  of  much  that  is  peculiar  to  the  ecclesiastical 
polity  of  all  the  difterent  branches  of  the  great  Methodist  body 
in  all  j)arts  of  the  world. 

While  all  these  branches  afjree  in  recjard  to  doctrines  and 
mode  of  worship,  it  is  well  known  that  they  differ  somewhat 
from  each  other  in  relation  to  (Questions  of  church  government. 
This  difterence  of  opinion  might  reasonably  be  expected,  and 
while  it  is  an  admitted  fact  that  Mr.  Wesley  and  the  Method- 
ists generally,  agree  that  there  is  no  particular  form  of  church 
government  prescribed  in  the  New  Testament,  and  that  "  it  is 
not  necessary  that  rites  and  ceremonies  should  in  all  places  be 
the  same  or  exactly  alike," — Article  of  Religion  XXII. — it  re- 
mains but  for  each  branch  to  adopt  such  a  form  of  ecclesiastical 
polity  as  they  believe  will  be  most  conducive  to  the  well-being 
of  the  church,  and  which  will  better  promote  the  glory  of  God. 
JJy  such  views  and  feelings,  Mr.  Wesley  was  no  doubt  govern- 
ed in  the  establishment  of  the  prudential  rules  peculiar  to  the 
Methodists,  and  with  such  design  he  instituted  forms  of  gr>vern- 
ment  for  his  societies  in  Europe  and  America ,-  and  if  these 


Jl8 


KI'lSCOrAL    MU'lIIOUISM. 


forms  (Jitl«r,  it  is  because  the  circumstances  and  condition  of 
tlio  people  in  tliesedilterent  countries  re(|uircd  a  difference  to  be 
made  :  lienco,  while  in  England  wo  find  one  form  of  govern- 
ment instituted  for  the  Methodists  by  Mr.  Wesley  in  his  deed 
of  declaration  ;  by  the  appointment  of  Dr.  Coke  to  the  superin- 
tendency  of  the  iMt.'thodist  Societies  in  America,  and  the  pro- 
vision made  for  the  ordination  of  min'^tens  of  different  grades, 
we  find  a  diti'erent  form  for  the  latte  n  the  one  CJise  we  lind 
a  purely  Presbyterian  form  of  churci.  j,./vernment,  and  in  the 
oth(;r,  a  form  partaking  partly  of  the  Presbyterian  and  partly 
of  the  Episcopalian. 

That  Mr.  Wesley  did  design  to  establish  a  moderate  Ej)i3- 
copaey  for  the  Methodist  Church  in  America  we  have  no  more 
doubt  than  that  such  an  Episcopacy  was  actually  established. 
The  enemies  of  our  church  organization  have,  it  is  true,  called 
in  question  the  correctness  of  this  position,  and  a  Methodist 
Episcopal  writer,  in  his  wor)-  on  "  The  Genius  and  Mission  of 
Methodism," — recently  published, — has  ventured  the  opinion, 
that  "  tlie  idea  of  ordaining  a  bishop  for  the  infant  church  in 
America  never  entered  Wesley's  mind,"  and  that  "  he  never 
conceived  the  idea  of  organizing  through  him  (Dr.  Coke)  an 
Episcopal  Church  in  America,  in  the  strict  and  proper  sense  of 
that  term."*  Yet,  notwithstanding  the  above  expressed  doubts, 
after  a  careful  investigation  of  the  whole  subject,  we  are  "  more 
than  ever  convinced"  that  Mr.  Wesley  did  design  the  establish- 
ment of  an  Episcopal  Church  in  the  "  strict  and  proper  sense 
of  that  term."  Among  the  reasons  which  incline  us  to  this 
opinion  are  the  following: — 

1.  The  preparation,  by  Mr.  Wesley,  of  the  Liturgy,  or 
''Sunday  Service  of  the  Methodists  in  North  America;  with 
other  occasional  Services.  London:  1*784."  This  liturgy  con- 
tained, among  other  things,  "  the  form  and  manner  of  making 
and  ordaining,  of  superintendents,  elders,  and  deacons."!    Now, 

*  Strickland  on  Methodism,  piifije  36. 
\'  History  of  the  Discipline,  page  25. 


OniUIN    OF    METHODIST   El'ISCOPAOY. 


219 


in  view  of  the  above  facts,  it  may  well  be  asked,  what  meant 
Mr.  Wesley  by  his  threefold  f<jrm  of  ordination,  if  he  intended 
simjdy  the  organization  of  a  Presbyterian  Church  ?  Why  re- 
quire the  ordination  of  ministers,  first,  as  deacons,  tlicn  as 
presbyters  ;  aT)d,  in  case  of  superintendcncy,  a  tiiird  and  dis- 
tinct ordination  to  that  otlice  ?  That  ordination  t')  the  latter 
office  was  i  1  merely  an  (tppointnicnt  thereto,  is  evident  from 
the  fact,  that  Coke  and  Asbury  were  both  upj)oinffd  joint 
superintendents  by  Mr.  Wesk-y,  while  the  former,  as  an  or- 
dained superintendent,  was  directed  to  set  apart  the  latter — • 
who  had  been  already  ajqiointed — to  the  same  same  sacred  office. 

2.  In  the  Discipline  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
chap.  i.  sec.  1,  we  read,  that  Mr.  WesKiy,  "preferring  the  Bpis- 
<opal  mode  of  church  government  to  any  other,  set  apart 
Thomas  Coke — for  the  Episcopal  ofVice  ;  and  directed  him  to 
set  apart  Francis  Asbury  for  the  same  office!'^  These  words 
are  found  in  the  edition  of  the  Discipline  published  in  1789,  or 
two  years  previously  to  the  death  of  Mr.  W^esley,  and  the  ques- 
tion very  naturally  arises,  whether  it  is  j)robable  that  such  a 
barefaced  falsehood  would  appear  on  the  page  of  Discipline, 
subject  to  the  inspection  of  Mr.  Wesley,  if  so  be  it  was  and  is  a 
falsehood — and  that  Mr.  Wesley  did  not  conceive  the  idea  of 
organizing,  through  Dr.  Coke,  an  Episcopal  Church  in  America? 
Common  respect  for  the  memory  of  the  fathers  and  founders 
of  E{)iscopal  Methodism  forbids  us  even  to  harbor  the  thought 
of  deception  on  this  point,  and  we  regret  that  any  Episcopal 
Methodist  minister  should,  even  by  implication,  throw  di.M'espect 
and  distrust  upon  the  motives  and  character  of  the  illustrious 
dead,  or  virtually  accuse  the  church  of  perpetuating  on  the 
very  first  page  of  its  Book  of  Discipline  a  falsehood  as  gross  as 
the  above  must  be,  if  so  be  that  no  Episcoj)al  form  of  govern- 
ment was  intended  by  Mr.  Wesley. 

Having  felt  it  our  duty  to  make  these  preliminary  remarks 
in  relation  to  the  oiigin  of  Methodist  Episcopacy,  we  are  now 
more  fully  preparad  to  speak  of  the  nature  of  such  Episcopacy, 
K  16 


220 


KPISCOi'AL    WETHOUISM. 


as  well  as  of  the  different  grades  in  the  ministry  and  iaity  of 
tlio  church. 

In  wbat  sense  is  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  the 
Unitod  States  an  Episcopal  Church  ?  In  attempting  a  reply 
to  this  question,  such  as  shall  be  understood  by  th  j  general 
reader,  it  will  be  necessary  to  show  in  what  sense  it  is  not 
Episcopal,  as  well  as  in  what  sense  it  is.  And,  first,  tlio 
Methodist  Church  is  not  Episcopal  in  the  Roman  Catholic 
sense  of  that  term. 

In  an  early  day  Christianity  was  planted  in  the  imperial  city 
of  Rome,  through  the  labors  of  the  apostle  Paul.  After  a 
lapse  of  time,  the  inhabitants  became  Christians,  and  during 
the  reiijn  of  Constantine,  Christianity  became  the  established 
religion  of  the  Roman  Empire.  At  this  period  the  empire  con- 
tained about  one  hundred  and  twenty  province's,  each  province 
embracing  many  cities,  towns  and  villages.  In  the  course  of 
time  each  village  and  town  had  its  Christian  minister,  and  the 
cities  had  several  of  these.  It  was  soon  found  convenient  to 
exercise  an  oversight  of  the  ir.ore  obscure  clergy,  and,  as  might 
naturally  be  supposed,  the  more  proninent  of  the  city  ministers 
were  selected  for  that  purpose.  It  was  necessary  that  some 
one  should  preside  as  moderators  in  the  asscra'olies  of  the  clergy 
appertaining  to  a  city  or  province,  the  most  distinguished  were 
selected  to  that  ofhce ;  and  what  at  first  was  merely  an  office, 
became  in  due  time  a  separate  order  in  the  church ;  hence  the 
origin  of  diocesan  bishops.  Soon  it  was  found  convenient  to 
have  an  overseer  of  the  bishops,  hence  arose  archbishops.  As 
these  multiplied,  if  was  thought  necessary  to  have  sonio  one 
who  should  be  superior  to  all  others  in  ecclesiastical  authority 
and  dignity,  hence  arose  the  papacy  ;  and  what  with  the  in- 
crease of  worldly  wealth,  and  the  prevalence  of  worldly  splen- 
dor, the  church  in  the  course  of  a  few  centuries  became  awfully 
corrupt ;  popes,  bishops,  and  the  inferior  clergy  became  the 
subjects  of  the  vilest  passions  that  ever  disgraced  fallen  human 
nature ;  the  pope  claimed  to  exercise  prerogatives  which  can 


---j.---"--^;^;-jw.-is 


p 


EPISCOI'ACr    OF    THE    CHUKCll    OF    ENGLAND. 


221 


iral 


only  belong  to  God,  even  that  of  forgiving  sins ;  and  the 
priests  claimed  the  power,  not  only  of  creating  from  day  to  day 
tlie  real  body  and  blood,  soul  and  divinity,  of  Jesus  Christ,  but, 
in  consideration  of  a  few  paltry  pence,  claimed  the  power  to 
pardon,  as  the  representatives  of  Christ,  deeds  of  th.e  most 
atrocious  character.  As  it  is  a  doctrine  of  the  Roman  Church 
that  she  never  changes,  we  are  obliged  to  infer  that  the  same 
powers  are  still  claimed  by  her  bishops  and  clergy,  and  it  be- 
comes scarcely  necessary  to  repeat  that  the  Methodist  Church 
is  not  Episcopal  in  the  Roman  Catholic  sense  of  the  word. 
Secondly,  The  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  is  not  Episcopal  in 
the  Church  of  England,  or  Protestant  Episcopal  sense  of  the 
term. 

The  Church  of  England  claims  to  have  derived  a  succc  .sion 
of  bishops  from  the  apostles — that  is,  that  there  always  have 
been  bishops  who  were  ordained  by  other  bishops,  and  that 
each  bishop  had  been  previously  ordained  deacon,  and  then 
priest,  and  that  this  triple  consecration  is  absolutely  necessary 
to  the  perpetuation  of  the  church  of  Christ,  and  that  all  churches 
which  have  not  '--uch  an  Episcopacy,  are  without  the  ministry, 
without  the  sacraments,  and  are,  in  fact,  no  church  at  all,  but  only 
schismatics  and  pretenders.  Now,  while  it  is  known  that  the 
Church  of  England  received  her  ordinations  from  Rome,  and  that 
in  the  Roman  chain  there  are  several  important  links  wanting,  it 
is  no  great  wonder  that  the  Methodist  Church,  with  its  founder, 
Mr.  Wesley,  and  some  of  the  highest  dignitaries  of  the  Church 
of  England,  should  pronounce  the  dogma  of  uninterrupted  apos- 
tolical succession  to  be  a  cunningly  devised  fable,  which  no  man 
has  proved,  or  can  [)rove.  By  virtue  of  this  pretended  regular 
succession,  the  bishops  of  the  Church  of  England,  and  the  Prot- 
estant Episcopal  Church,  claim  the  sole  right  of  ordination,  and 
of  admitting  persons  to  membership  in  the  church  by  confirm- 
ation, and  each  parish  minister  claims  and  exercises  the  prerog- 
ative of  governing  his  own  flock,  of  deciding  all  questions  in 
controversy,  of  trying  and  expelling  members,  without  the  ad- 


!  I 


222 


EPISCOPAL    METHODISM. 


^^ 


I  I 


vice  or  judgment  of  any  ecclesiastical  court  but  himself,  and 
from  his  decision  there  is  no  appeal,  but  to  the  bishop  in  per- 
son. Now,  in  neither  of  the  above  senses  is  the  Methodist 
Church  episcopal,  as  will  be  more  clearly  shown  hereafter. 

Thirdly  :  The  Methodist  Church  is  episcopal  only  in  the 
sense  of  having  a  class  of  officers  appointed  to  take  a  general 
superintendence  of  the  affairs  of  the  church,  including  both  its 
ministry  and  membership,  and  in  this  sense,  we  maintain  that 
it  is  not  only  "  strictly  and  properly"  an  episcopal  church,  but 
what  is  more,  a  church  which  is  based  upon  a  scriptural  found- 
ation, as  nearly  as  we  can  judge  in  relation  to  such  matters. 
The  Episcopacy  of  Methodism  is  of  that  moderate  character, 
which,  wliile  it  imparts  power  and  efficiency  to  the  office,  makes 
the  office  itself,  and  the  incumbent  of  the  same,  entirely  depend- 
ent upon  the  will  of  the  eldership,  or  presbytery  of  the  churcn, 
the  one  for  its  perpetuity,  the  other  for  his  election  to,  and  con- 
tinuance in,  the  same.  And  it  is  a  matter  of  rejoicing,  that  the 
Methodist  Church  has  never,  but  in  a  single  instance — and  that 
in  relation  to  a  disputed  point  arising  from  slavery — had  cause 
to  mourn  the  defection  of  any  of  its  Superintendents,  or  to 
distrust  their  purity  of  character  and  singleness  of  heart. 


APOSTOLIC    SUCCESSION. 


223 


SECTION  II. 


APOSTOLIC    SUCCESSION. 


The  Christian  world  has  been  divided  for  centuries  on  the 
subject  referred  to  in  the  title  to  this  section.  Much  might  be 
said  on  the  subject  of  such  divisions  and  sub-divisions  of  senti- 
ment, but  we  must  at  this  time  confine  ourselves  to  the  great 
questions  which  now  agitate  the  Christian  Church  :  whether  an 
l"]piscopacy,  or  the  existence  of  bishops,  made  such  by  a  triple 
consecration,  is  necessary  to  the  perpetuation  of  the  church  of 
Jesus  Christ?  And  whether  such  bisiiops  must  be  able  to 
trace  their  episcopal  descent  in  an  uninterruj)ted  line  of  personal 
succession  from  the  apostles  ?  It  is  important  to  observe  here, 
what  is  involved  in  assuming  to  answer  the  above  questions  in 
the  affirmative.  The  following  results  follow  an  admission  of 
the  truth  of  the  above  :  that  bishops  are,  by  divine  right  and 
appointment,  an  order  superior  to  presbyters  ;  that  they  have 
powers,  privileges,  and  authority,  by  the  same  divine  appoint- 
ment, which  the  presbyters  have  not ;  that  they  only,  as  the 
successors  of  the  apostles,  can  ordain  the  bishops  and  other 
clergy  ;  that  such  succession  from  the  apostles  is  personal,  and 
may  be  traced  through  a  series  of  bishops,  from  the  youngest 
member  of  the  prelacy,  to  Peter,  the  first  pope  or  bishop  of 
Rome  ;  that  no  ministerial  act  is  valid,  that  all  ordinations,  and 
administration  of  ordinances  and  sacraments,  are  void,  unless 
performed  personally,  or  by  the  permission  and  sanction  of  epis- 
copal ly  ordained  successors  of  the  apostles  ;  consequently,  that 
all  other  churches,  admitting  the  validity  of  presbyterian  ordi 
nation,  and  denying  practically  the  necessity  of  such  prelatical 
succession,  are  not  in  fact  churches,  but  mere  voluntary  associa- 
tions, sect^,  schismatics,  &c. ;  that  their  ministers  are  nothing 
more  than  teachers,  usurpers,  interlopers,  blasphemers,  and  im- 
postors. 

Now,  before    admitting   such    monstrous    absurdities,  and 


M 

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224 


EPISCOl'AL    MKTIIODISM. 


a(loi)ting  sucli  uncharitable  conclusions,  as  would  undiuicli  and 
anathematize  the  fairest  and  loveliest  portion  of  God's  heritage, 
and  would,  by  implication,  consign  the  holiest  men  thfit  ever 
lived,  to  the  blackness  and  darkness  of  the  bottomless  pit,  we 
feel  disposed  to  examine  these  high  pretensions  to  apostolical 
authority,  as  candidly  and  critically  as  our  narrow  limits  will 
allow. 

And  first,  are  bishops,  by  divine  right  and  appointment,  and 
in  the  sense  of  being  the  successors  of  the  apostles,  an  order 
superior  to  presbyters  ?  In  answering  this  question,  we  natu- 
rally inquire — What  was  there  peculiar  in  the  office  and  func- 
tions of  an  apostle  of  Jesus  Christ? 

One  peculiarity  is,  that  they  were  directly  and  personally 
called  by  Jesus  Christ,  without  any  other  call ;  and  without 
having  previously  passed  through  the  lower  grades  in  the  min- 
istry.    Are  modern  bishops  thus  called  ? 

Another  thing  peculiar  to  the  apostolic  office,  was  the  man- 
ner in  which  they  were  tamjlit  and  Jilted  for  the  work  of  the 
ministry.  They  received  all  their  knowledge  of  the  gosj)el 
from  Christ  himself,  and  by  direct  inspiration  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.     Are  bishops  of  the  present  day  taught  in  this  manner  ? 

Another  thing  true  of  the  apostles  is,  that  they  were  infalli- 
ble in  their  teachings.  Do  their  modern  "  successors''  lay  claim 
to  infallibility  ? 

Another  important  fiict  that  should  be  noticed  in  reference  to 
the  apostles  is,  that  their  ministerial  comn)issions  gave  them 
universal  authority  to  administer  their  functions  in  every  part 
of  the  world.  "  Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  and  preach  the  gos- 
pel to  every  creature."  Have  modern  bishops  this  universal 
authority  ?  Are  they  not,  by  virtue  of  thtsir  commissions,  con- 
fined to  their  own  diocese,  however  small  in  extent  ? 

No  bishop,  claiming  to  be  such  by  divine  right,  pretends  to 
lay  claim  to  universal  authority,  excepting  his  holiness,  the 
bishop  of  Rome,  who,  as  the  only  successor  of  Peter  and  Paul, 
calls  himself  "  universal  bishop." 


F'^CULIAHITIES    OF    APOSTOUC    OFFICE. 


OO.r 


Another  apostolic  peculiarity,  was  tlin  power  of  working  niir- 
ftcles.  This  power  was  given  in  their  commissions,  "heal  the 
sick  ;  raise  the  dead."  Is  this  power  included  ainong  the  oth- 
ers given  to  our  modern  "successionists  ?"  The  apostles  had 
also  the  authority  to  communicate  to  others  the  power  of  work- 
ing miracles,  and  the  gift  of  prophesying,  and  speaking  in  other 
tongues,  by  laying  on  of  their  hands.  (See  Acts  xix.  6.) 
Does  the  modern  episcopate  (rather  a})ostolate)  possess  the 
same  power  ? 

Again,  tlie  apo'-tles  had  the  power  to  re?nit  sins  ;  "  Whose- 
soever sins  ye  remit,  they  are  remitted."  Have  their  succes- 
sors been  commissioned  and  authorized  to  remit  sins  in  any 
given  case  ^  The  only  power  they  claim  or  can  claim  in  this 
respect,  is,  to  declare  a  mere  truism  :  that  "  (xod  pardoneth  and 
absolveth  all  those  who  truly  repent ;"  a  declaration  which  any 
Sunday -sciiool  scholar  can  "lake,  with  as  much  authority  as  a 
right  reverend  prelate. 

Those  are  some  of  tlie  peculiarities  pertaining  to  the  aposto'io 
oflice,  and  if  modern  bishops  can  give  evidence  that  they  are 
in  the  regular  succession  in  these  respects,  we  will  be  better 
prepared  to  admit  their  claims  on  other  points.  Besides,  if 
regularly  descended  bishops  are  successors  of  the  apostles  in 
fact,  and  the  name  "apostle"  is  most  significant  of  their  high 
office,  why  not  make  use  of  the  name  at  once  ?  Why  so  mode>t 
and  unassuminc:  as  to  refuse  what  iustlv  belongs  to  them  ?  If 
the  reason  is  not  to  be  found  in  the  exercise  of  a  "voluntary 
humility,"  perhaj)s  it  might  be  traced  to  the  fact,  that  the  com- 
mon sense  of  mankind  would  repudiate  the  idea  of  appropri- 
ating such  a  title  as  apostle,  to  those  who  are  so  unlike  the 
real  apostles  of  our  Saviour,  as  the  foregoing  facts  clearly  dem- 
onstrate. 

The  real  apostles  were  not  backward  in  appropriating  this 
title  to  themselves,  and  what  may  appear  a  little  remarkable  is, 
that  when  they  selected  any  other  title,  they  never  called  them- 
bhK'cs  bishops,  but  simply  presbyters  or  elder" 


< 


«BHP 


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I   ! 


220 


EPISCOPAL    MKTHOIHSM. 


While  nuKlern  bishops  do  not  claim  to  be  successors  of  the 
jipostlos  in  the  particulars  before  nientioned,  they  nevertheless 
maintain  tliat  they  are  sole  successors,  so  far  as  it  relates  to 
the  power  of  ordaining  ministers,  confirming  believers,  and 
governing  the  churches. 

In  the  examination  of  the  validity  of  these  high  claims,  it  is 
freely  granted  that  modern  bishops  have  a  scrijitural  and  con- 
ventional right  to  ordain,  confirm,  and  rule  over  the  church  of 
God,  not  as  lords,  but  as  rainisiers  of  Jesus  Christ ;  but  that 
the  sole  power  of  government  in  the  church,  and  sending  forth 
uiinisters,  exclusively  belongs  to  them,  we  most  solemnly  deny, 
while  we  maintain  that  the  apostles  themselves  did  not  lay 
claim  to  such  exclusive  powers  ;  neither  did  their  immediate 
successors,  in  the  first  ages  of  the  church.  That  such  powers 
are  to  be  exercised  only  by  a  third  superior  order  in  the  minis- 
try, is  an  assumption  without  warrant  or  proof,  either  scriptural 
or  historical. 

To  make  this  matter  plain,  it  will  be  only  necessary  to  show 
that  presbyters,  as  such,  had  a  right  to  ordain  ministers,  and 
govern  the  church  of  God  ;  that  they  are  spoken  of  in  the 
Scriptures  as  possessing  the  same  qualifications  with  bishops  ; 
as  having  precisely  the  same  duties  to  perform ;  and  while 
there  is  at  least  a  nominal  distinction  made  between  apostles 
and  bishops,  there  is  no  such  distinction  made  between  bishops 
and  presbyters.  This  being  the  case,  the  exclusive  claims  of 
the  high  church  episcopacy  must  fall  to  the  ground. 

In  regard  to  the  power  of  ordination  by  the  presbytery  or 
body  of  elders,  while  there  is  not  the  shadow  of  a  proof  in  the 
New  Testament  that  bishoj^s,  as  such,  ever  ordained,  there  i<i 
clear  demonstrative  evidence  that  2^^'csbyters  did  ordain  others, 
hence — 1  Tiin.  iv.  14 — "  Neglect  not  the  gift  that  is  in  thee, 
which  was  given  thee  by  the  laying  on  of  the  hands  of  the 
presbyferyy  Here  it  is  plain  that  the  ministerial  gift  or  power 
which  Timothy  possessed,  was  given  him  by  the  laying  on  of 
the  hands  of  the  body  of  the  elders  who  ordained  him.     And 


NEW    TESTAMENT    BISHOPS. 


in  regard  to  the  government  of  the  church,  it  is  eqiuiUy  plain 
that  bishops,  in  distinction  from  ^jre.siy^tvs,  wore  not  charged 
with  the  oversight  thereof,  for  it  is  said — Acts  xx.  17,  28,  that 
Paul  "called  the  elders  (not  the  bishops)  of  the  Church  of 
Ephesus,  and  said  unto  them,  '  Take  lieed  theidfore  to  your- 
selves, and  to  all  the  flock  over  the  which  the  Holy  Ghost  ha^h 
made  you  overseers,'  feed  the  church  of  God."  On  ''  .,  pas- 
sage we  remark,  1st,  that  the  original  (Jroek  term  f  the  word 
"  overseer"  is  "  episcopos,"  the  very  word  from  •«  ,ch  our  term 
"  bishop"  is  derived,  and  which  is  gener;  .y  translated  "  bishop" 
in  the  English  version  of  the  New  Testament.  Now  this  terra 
ejtiscopos,  overseer,  or  bishop,  is  applied  to  the  identical  per- 
sons called  elders  in  the  17th  verse,  and  to  none  other.  Con- 
sequently, Paul  must  have  considered  elders  and  bishops  as 
one,  not  only  in  othce,  but  in  order  also  ;  and  so  the  Ephesian 
ministers  undoubtedly  understood  him.  P)Ut  we  remark,  2dly, 
that  these  episcopal  presbyters  had  the  oversight  of  all  the 
flock  ;  so  that  if  there  was  a  class  in  the  church  at  E[)hesus 
who  were  called  bishops,  as  distinct  from  elders,  these  presby- 
ters had  the  oversiLrht  and  government  of  them  also.  We  re- 
mark,  3dly,  that  these  bishops,  overseers,  or  elders,  in  the  Ephe- 
sian church,  are  found  in  the  plural  immber,  and  that  not  only 
in  a  single  city,  but  in  a  single  church,  and  that  church  proba- 
bly a  small  one.  Now,  if  by  the  term  "  episcopos,"  we  are  to 
understand  necessarily  a  diocesan  bishop,  or  the  "  pastor  of  pas- 
tors," we  are  led  to  inquire  why,  in  the  name  of  wonder  and 
consistency,  they  needed  so  many  lordly  prelates  in  that  small 
church  ?  One  would  almost  fancy  that  one  bishop  of  modern 
dimensions  would  be  am))lv  svHicient  for  a  sincrle  conrrreffation. 
Tiie  truth  is,  there  were  several  elders  in  the  above  church,  and 
ever?/  one  of  them  ivas  in  fact  a  New  Testament  bishop.  This 
leads  us  to  remark,  4thly,  that  the  government  in  said  church 
was  exercised  in  common  by  oil  the  elders,  there  is  no  intima- 
tion that  they  had  a  superior  ofticer  by  divine  warrant,  to  whom 
any  portion  of  the  government  had  been  delegated.     The  Holy 


1 1 


li 


li 


i  ! 


223 


KHISOOPAL    METHODISM. 


Ghost  had  made  them  all  overseers,  and  if  tliey  had  a  presiding 
presbyter  or  bishop  amon<^  them,  it  must  have  been  a  niero 
human  arrangement,  perfectly  proper,  n.  doubt,  and  justifiable, 
but  a  (luman  arrangement  after  all. 

Tiiat  the  terms  "  presbyter"  and  "  bishop''  are,  in  the  New 
Testament,  applied  to  the  same  persons,  will  further  appear 
from  Tit.  i.  5,  V,  where  Paid  says  to  Titus — "  For  this  cause 
left  I  thee  in  Crete,  that  thou  shouldest  oidain  eldcr^  in  every 
city  :  if  any  be  blameless,  the  husband  of  one  wife  ;  for  a  bishop 
must  be  blameless  as  the  steward  of  God."  For  Paul  to  re- 
quest Titus  to  ordain  elders,  if  he  could  find  any  suitable  per- 
sons of  a  blameless  moral  character,  and  assign  as  a  reason  for 
such  selection,  that  a  bishop  nuist  be  blameless,  would  be  com- 
plete nonsense  on  the  supposition,  that  bishops  were  superior 
to,  or  distinct  from  the  order  of  presbyters.  It  would  be  like 
saying,  "Appoint  a  brave  man  for  a  captain,  for  a  (jenerol  must 
be  brave!"  Or  more  apropos,  "  Appoint  no  man  for  Justice 
of  the  Peace,  who  is  not  well  acquainted  with  the  law,  for  a 
Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  must  be  well  versed  in  legal 
lore  1"  Such  are  some  of  the  absurdities  that  follow  the  claim 
that  bishops  were  superior  to  elders. 

But  if  Scripture  is  oppo".ed  to  modern  high  church  claims 
and  pretensions,  so  is  history,  on  which  successionists  appear  to 
lay  so  much  stress. 

Clemens  Romanus,  who  flourished  and  wrote  between  the 
years  70  and  92,  speaks  of  bishops  and  presbyters  as  being  the 
same  in  order. 

Ignatius,  who  wrote  A.  D.  101,  says  :  "  The  presbyters  pre- 
side in  the  place  of  the  council  of  the  apostles ;"  and  again,  "  Be 
ye  subject  to  your  presbyters  as  to  the  apostles  of  Jesus  Christ." 
And  again :  "  Let  all  reverence  the  presbyters,  as  the  Sanhe- 
drim of  God,  and  the  college  of  the  apostles."  And  again  : 
"  See  that  ye  follow  the  presbyters  as  the  apostles."  Now  such 
advice  to  be  subject  to,  and  reverence  the  elders  of  the  church, 
is  supplying  the  place  of  the  departed  apostles ;  as  being  in 


I'KHTIMONY    OK    TIIK     FATFIKKS. 


229 


fiict  the  "Cullfge  of  the  Apostles,"  is  luirdly  comi)atii)le  with 
the  idea,  that  bishoj)s,  as  distinct  from  presbyters,  are  the  suc- 
cessors of  the  apostlts.  To  our  own  inind,  the  above  quota- 
tions sliow  as  clearly  as  a  sunbeam,  that  presbyters  are,  and 
wore,  the  true  apostolic  successors. 

PoLYCAUP,  a  disciple  of  John  the  apostle,  and  who  wrote 
during  the  beginning  of  the  2d  century,  has  left  an  epistle 
which  is  still  extant,  in  which  he  speaks  of  "presbyters"  and 
"  deacons ;"  but  says  not  a  word  about  a  third  order  of  bish- 
ops ;  which  is  at  least  an  inferential  proof  that  no  such  order 
existed. 

Justin  Martyn,  who  wrote  about  the  middle  of  the  2d 
century,  speaks  in  his  works  of  "  presiding  presbyters,"  a  proof 
that  elders  did,  even  then,  preside  over  and  govern  the  church 
of  God. 

Iren^eus,  who  wrote  about  the  year  184,  uses  the  terms 
"bishop"  and  "presbyter"  as  synonymous,  and  speaks  of  the 
"  succession  of  presbf/tersy  He  speaks,  also,  of  several  of  the 
earlier  pastors  of  the  church  at  Rome,  as  "presbyters"  simply; 
and  that  he  referred  to  the  higher  order  of  pastors,  is  evident 
from  the  fact,  that  he  calls  them  "  the  presiding  presbyters  of 
the  church."  Now  if  these  first  pastors,  or  bishops  of  the 
church  of  Rome,  were  superior  in  order  to  the  eldership  of  the 
church,  would  it  have  been  proper  for  Justin  to  have  ad- 
dressed them  merely  as  presiding  ^;;-e.S'c>?/^e;-s  ?  Let  a  modern 
priest  or  deacon  of  the  Church  of  England,  or  of  the  Protes- 
tant Episcopal  Church  in  Americn^  or  of  the  Roman  Catholic 
Church,  address  the  Right  Reverend  Father  in  God,  his  dio- 
cesan bishop,  as  a  presiding  2)resb?/ter  merely,  and  the  incon 
gruity  between  the  title  and  the  claims  of  said  bishop,  would 
at  once  be  apparent. 

Tertulliax,  who  flourished  at  the  close  of  the  2d  century, 
and  who  is  claimed  by  high  church  writers  as  the  best  author- 
ity in  such  matters,  proves  incidentally  that  during  his  time 
the  ruling,  or  presiding  presbyters  in  the  church,  began  to  ap' 


!!H 


Ufl 


■  ( 


I  !U 


a 


230 


EPISCOPAL    METHODISM. 


jM'opriivte  tlie  title  "  bishop"  to  theiusclves,  and  to  claim  supe- 
rior power  and  nntliority  over  the  body  of  the  clergy ;  ho  says, 
"  ]3ishops  have  a  ri_<>ht  lo  baptize;  a/terwdifJs^  tho  \)re.s\)ytc'Y>i 
and  deacons."  lie  i;ivcs,  also,  the  reason  why  this  distinction 
was  allowed  :  "Because  of  tlie  honor  of  the  church  ;"  and  de- 
clares, that  "  wi^re  it  not  iov  the  honor  and  peace  of  the  cliurch, 
the  rig'ht  of  adniinisteriinj;'  bajttisin,  belongs  even  to  laymen." 
Here,  then,  we  perceive  the  beginning  of  episcopal  pretensions ; 
the  embryo  of  modern  j)relacy  ;  and  the  reason  why  this  su- 
periority was  claimed  and  granted ;  not  because  of  any  divine 
riglit,  on  the  part  of  the  bishop,  but  "  because  of  the  honor  and 
peace  of  the  church."  Yet  even  Tertuilian  denominates  the 
"  bishops,"  elders,  and  says:  "  A|>j)roved  elders  preside  among 
us,  having  received  that  honor  by  the  sutlrages  of  the  brethren." 
And  in  another  passage  lie  speaks  of  the  "churches  over  which 
the  apostolical  chairs  pniside."  Now  if  anything  can  be  infer- 
red from  these  statements,  it  is,  that  although  in  'J'ertullian's 
day,  a  superiority  of  oflice  was  given  to  jiresiding  presbyters, 
and  they  began  by  way  of  distinction  to  be  called  bishops;  yet, 
they  were  in  order  presbyters  only,  and  as  j^i'csbf/ters  filled  the 
"  apostolic  chairs." 

Clrmkns  Alexanduinus  flourished  and  wrote  a  few  years 
after  Tertuilian.  He  speaks  of  but  two  orders  of  ministers,  su- 
perior and  inferior.  The  superior  ministers,  were  presbyters; 
and  tlie  inferior,  deacons.  lie  speaks  of  these  two  orders,  as 
conducting  the  worship  of  God,  and  makes  no  allusion  to  bish- 
ops, as  such,  taking  any  ])art  in  the  services. 

OiiiGEN,  a  presbyter  about  the  year  230,  writes  as  follows  to 
the  church  :  "We  of  the  clerical  order,  who  preside  over  you." 
And  he  further  speaks  of  bishops,  simply  as  occupying  a  "  higher 
chair,"  that  is,  they  were  presidinr/  presbyters. 

Twenty  years  after  Origen's  time,  flourished  the  great  and 
good  CvPRiAX,  bishop  of  Carthage,  who  afterwards  became  a 
martyr  to  the  tiuth.  As  this  holy  man  sustained  the  highest 
office  in  the  church,  it  becomes  a  matter  of  importance  to 


TESTIMONY    OF    THE    FATHERS. 


23) 


know  what  his  views  w(!re,  on  the  matter  of  episcopacy  by 
(livin«  right ;  and  whether  ho  considered  a  sinij)Ie  presbyter, 
as  having  the  authority  and  quail Hcations  to  perform  all  the 
duties  of  a  bishop.  During  liis  absence  from  Ins  church,  lie 
writes  to  tiie  presbyters  who  remained,  and  says  to  them  :  "  I 
beseech  you,  that  yuu  perform  your  own  duties,  and  also  those 
that  belong  to  me;  so  that  nothing  may  be  wanting,  either  in 
doctrine  or  diligence."  "I  exhort;  and  commit  the  charge  to 
you,  that  you  would  discharge  my  duty,  act  in  my  place,  and 
perform  all  those  things,  which  the  administration  of  the 
church  requires."  We  might  multip!}  quotations  from  Cyp- 
rian, to  prove  that  in  his  day,  bishops  and  presbyters  were 
equal  in  order  and  power,  by  divine  right;  that  elders  could 
and  did  discharge  all  the  functions  of  tin*  bishop,  or  ]»residirig 
presbyter,  without  being  specially  set  apart,  (jr  ordained  thereto, 
as  a  third,  and  higher  order  of  ministers,  but  the  above  ex- 
tracts must  suffice. 

FiiiMiLMAN,  who  was  contemporary  with  Cyprian,  and  who 
wj'.s  also  a  bishop,  being  the  presiding  minister  of  the  church 
of  Cesarea,  remarks,  that  "  in  the  church,  presbyters  preside, 
and  have  the  power  of  baptizing,  confirmim/,  and  oi.daining." 
This  is  very  high  authority  for  ministerial  parity.  Firmilliau 
was  held  in  deservedly  high  repute  as  a  bisho[).  He  was  cho- 
sen presidcnit  of  the  council  of  Antioch ;  and  the  evidence  he 
thus  leaves  is  more  valuable,  as  it  relates  simjily  to  the  practice 
of  the  church,  {I'is.)  that  elders  baptized,  confirmed,  and  ok- 

DAINED. 

We  have  thus  glanced  at  the  history  of  the  church,  and  the 
testimony  of  the  "fathers"  for  the  first  three  centuries;  and  we 
find  ourselves  strongly  fortitii^d  in  the  position,  that  primitive 
bishops  were  merely  elders  at  the  first ;  that  the  name  signified 
the  presiding  pre  byter;  and  that  not  until  the  church  begiin 
to  be  corru[)t,  did  the  bishops  claim  to  be  an  order  superior  to, 
and  distinct  from  presbyters. 

Ambrose,  who   wrote  toward   the  close  of  the  4th  century 


n>i-t 


2;i 


KI'IHf'OI'AL    MKTIKilMSM. 


H  ■  III 


I    ':  "I 


t  < 


I  IB 


aii»l  af'ti  r  tli"  ]ii't'si(liiii^  olliccrs  of  cliurclx's  luid  sucffcilt'd  iu 
layiii!^  clMiin  to  siiiicrior  powcM' juid  aiithoiiiy,  remarks:  "  I'Iki 
aj)ostl('^'  writiIl^■s  nvc  not  altou^ctlicr  ai^riicablu  to  tl»e  order  of 
things,  as  now  practiacd  in  the  clmrcli ;  liccanso  (ho  adds)  tho 
(irsl  ur  cliicf  prt'sh^tcrs  were  then  called  l)islio|)s."  " 'I'ho 
bishops  wer(!  constituted  such,  hy  tho  jnilj;in(;nt  of  a  number 
of  the  |>resbyti'rs."  He  says  further,  that  "  the  presbyters  and 
bishops  had  oik;  and  tiie  fioiite  oriliiuillon.'"  Now  if  Ambroso 
spoke  the  truth  in  relation  to  the  identity  of  presbyterian  and 
epiM'opal  onhnation,  how  ridiculous  for  modern  prt'teiiders  tt» 
lay  claim  to  a  spiritvial  descent  from  the  apostles,  throujjjh  an 
unl  II  ken  chain  of  episcopal  links,  constituted  such  by  a  triple 
conse'i.ition,  first,  as  deacons  ;  then,  as  prcsl>yters  ;  and  thirdly 
as  bisiiops ! 

In  addition  to  these  testimonies  already  adduced,  it  is  awell- 
authenticat(!d  fact,  that  in  th(!  church  at  Alexandria,  from  the 
time  (jf  Mark  the  evangelist  to  the  time  of  iJionysiu",  about  t\ui 
year  l.'5U,  it  was  the  invariable  practice  for  the  elders  vi'  that 
churcli  to  elect  one  from  among  themselves,  place  him  in  the 
episcopal  chair,  and  give  him  tl".  iiaine  of  bishop.  This  being 
placed  in  t)ie  chair,  was  all  the  episcv'iiul  ordination  he  had, 
and  this  waM  performed  excfivsiveli,  oy  the  elders.  If,  then, 
there  was  anything  equivalent  to  an  ordination  in  the  case,  it 
furnishes  a  proof  that  bisiiops,  as  superior  ministers  in  the 
church,  derived  their  po'vers  fron:  the  eldership  alone. 

Chkysostom,  who  wrote  about  the  close  of  the  4th,  and  be- 
ginning of  the  r)th  centuries,  at  which  time  the  bishops  claimed 
undue  authority  over  the  elders  of  the  church,  rebukes  them 
sharply  by  saying  :  "  The  blsho'  s  being  above  the  presbyters 
soldi/  by  their  sulTrage;-,  and  by  this  alone,  they  seem  to  as- 
sume an  unjust  suj)eriority  over  the  presbyters."  Mark  liere, 
that  the  l)islio[)s  were  such,  not  by  divine  riijht,  not  by  triple 
consecration,  but  solely  hy  the  suffrages  of  the  elders. 

Saint  Augustine,  in  writing  to  his  brethren,  tells  them, 
"By  a  presbyter  you  must  understand  a  bishop;  for  what  is  a 


CANUNS    OK    COUNCILS. 


•j;j.i 


l)i8li()p  [i  .)i((irni's)  hut  tlio  Hrst  presbyter?"  He,  also  ad- 
dresses the  bishops  as  "  tl■llo\v-prc^hyters,"  and  asserts,  tliat 
"in  Alexandria,  and  thruUirhout  the  whole  of  E;j;ypt,  the  pres- 
byters consecrate,  when  the  bishop  is  not  present." 

Ilavini;  given  these  authorities,  from  the  early  Cliristiari 
fathers,  we  will  quote  one  or  two  from  the  canons  of  councils. 
The  council  of  Ancyra  met  in  the  year  .'Jlo.  In  the  1.3th 
canon  of  said  council,  it  is  said  :  "  It  is  not  allowed  for  villorie 
bishops  to  ordain  ])rc'sbyters  or  deacons,  nor  is  it  allowed  even 
to  city  presbyters  to  do  this,  in  another  diocese,  without  the 
license  of  the  bishop."  From  this  canon  three  thin<,rs  are  evi- 
dent, 1st,  that  cilf/  presbi/fcrs  were  coiisidertd  supi-ricjr  to  vil- 
luf/e  bishops.  2d,  that  the  mere  fact  of  a  man's  beiiii|^a  bishop 
{^ave  him  no  right  to  ordain.  .3d,  that  a  eity  j)resl)yter  could 
ordain  in  his  own  diocese  without  a  license  from  the  bishop, 
while  a  village  bishop  could  not  ordain,  tjitluM-  in  liis  own  or 
another  diocese,  without  a  license  from  the  city  bishop.  Now, 
in  view  of  sueh  evidence,  we  may  in(juire  what  becomes  of  the 
claim  that  "  bisho{)s,  by  divine  right,  have  the  soK;  p(jwer  of 
ordiuiition  ;"  when  a  simple  presbyter  coulil  do  what  a  bishop 
was  forbidden  to  do  ? 

'J'eii  years  after  the  council  of  Ancyra,  sat  the  famous  council 
of  Nice,  which  addressed  an  epistle  to  the  church  at  Alexan- 
dria, in  which  ej)istle,  express  permission  is  given  to  presby- 
ters to  ordain  ;  and  which  further  sanctions  the  ancient  usa- 
ges of  said  church,  in  allowing  liieir  presbyters  to  ordain  others. 

Having  thus  proven  that  bishops  and  elders  were,  in  the 
earlier  and  j)urer  days  of  the  church,  one  in  order,  and  that 
elders,  as  such,  had  the  power  of  ordaining,  and  presiiliiig  in 
the  church,  we  pass  to  notice  the  several  links  in  the  chain  of 
e|)iscopal  succession,  which  are  said  to  connect  modern  ]>relates, 
of  the  19th  century,  with  Peter,  Paul,  and  -John,  of  the  first. 
And  in  the  examination  of  this  jioint,  as  far  as  Scripture  or  ins- 
tory  throw  light  upon  this  subject,  if  we  discover  a  want  of 
connection  between  the  several  links  of  this  celebrated  chain  ; 


234 


El'lSCOPAL    MEIIIOOISM. 


or  a  want  of  proof  that  such  connection  exists,  or  ever  existed, 
as  claimed  by  tiie  "  apostolic  successors,"  we  will  of  course  be 
at  liberty  to  form  our  own  opinion  of  the  modesty  and  propri- 
ety of  tlie  claims  of  such  as  bear  the  name  and  title  of"  Righ. 
Reverend  Bishops  of  the  only  true  Cliurch." 

It  is  important  here  to  remark,  that  however  numerous  the 
streams  through  which  the  succession  rnir/ht  have  dowed,  yet 
the  "  successors"  claim  to  trace  with  certainty  thfir  "  succession" 
through  one  channel  only  ;  and  that  channel  at  the  beginning 
is  the  Roman.  It  is  true,  they  claim  that  before  the  Romish 
CJiiurch  became  corrupt,  and  impure,  the  episcopal  stream  was 
introduced  into  Britain  ;  and  that  said  stream  has  flowed  on, 
century  after  century,  disconnected  from,  and  uncontaminated 
by,  the  rottenness  and  corruption  of  the  Roman  Church.  We 
will,  however,  show  hereafter,  that  England  received  her  bish- 
ops and  archl)isho])s  from  Rome,  during  the  darkest.,  foulest, 
and  bloodiest  days  of  the  latter.  But  let  us  now  return  to  the 
unbroken  chain. 

Who  was  the  Hrst  bishop  of  Rome  ?  The  "  successionists" 
say,  that  the  apostle  Peter  was  the  first  link  in  the  chain,  hut 
hold  !  Peter,  as  we  have  shown  ah'eady,  was  not  a  bishop  (in 
name  at  least),  but  an  apostle,  and  preshtjtcr.  How  then  could 
he  be  bishop  of  Rome,  or  any  other  place,  when  he  was  not — 
at  least  did  not  claim  to  be — bishop  at  all  ?  How  does  it  hap- 
pen that  the  X'nv  Testament,  especially  the  Acts  of  the 
Apostles,  ;ind  the  E))istles  of  Peter  and  Paul,  are  entirely 
silent  on  such  a  vitally  important  point  ?  How  does  it  hap- 
pen that  early  ecclesiastical  writers  dilTer  on  the  (juc^stion  ;  and 
that  some  even  deny  that  Peter  ever  was  in  Rome  ?  How  is 
it,  we  repeat,  that  the  tnost  learned  prelates  and  ministers  of 
the  Church  of  Eiighuul,  and  even  of  Rome,  find  it  so  difficult  to 
prove  this  fact,  as  to  oblige  them  to  acknowledge  their  duubts, 
whether  Peter  ever  was  in  Rome?  Indeed,  the  strong  proba* 
bility  is — nay,  it  is  almost  certain — that  I'eter  never  saw  Rome  * 
and  that  if  either  of  the  apostles  was  bishop  of  the  church 


SECOND    BISHOP    OV    ROME. 


OflXL 


35 


there,  Paul  must  have  been  the  person.  Paul  we  know  was 
in  Rome,  but  we  have  no  evidence  that  he  was  there  in  anv 
other  capacity,  than  as  an  apostle,  and  prisoner.  Neither  is 
there  the  smallest  degree  of  evidence  to  show  that  he  ever  or- 
dained a  successor  in  Rome,  even  allowing  that  he  was  the  6rst 
l>ishop  ;  and  the  same  is  true  also  of  Peter.  Admitting  then, 
for  the  sake  of  argument,  that  Peter,  or  Paul  was  the  first  pope, 
who  succeeded  to  the  episcopal  or  papal  chair  ?  who,  that  be- 
ing first  ordained  deacon,  then  elder,  was,  by  a  triple  consecra- 
tion, regularly  installed  second  Bishop  of  Rome  ?  It  is  indeed 
an  easy  matter  to  suppose,  and  then  to  assert,  that  Linus  was 
the  favored  person,  as  is  supposed  and  asserted  by  successionist 
divines;  but  supposition  and  assertion  are  not  proof;  and 
especially  in  a  case  like  this,  where  proof  is  everything,  suppo- 
sition, and  assertion  nothing  ;  and  where,  too,  ecclesiastical  his- 
tory is  opposed  to  such  conjecture  ;  for  Euskiuus,  one  of  the 
earlier  historians  of  the  church,  who  wrote  about  the  year  320, 
and  during  the  reign  of  Constantine,  declares,  in  reference  to 
the  point  under  consideration,  "  How  many,  and  what  sincere 
followers  of  them  (Peter  and  Paul)  have  been  approved  to  take 
the  charge  of  those  churches  by  them  founded,  it  is  not  easy  to 
say,  except  such,  and  so  many,  as  may  he  collected  from  the 
words  of  St.  Paul  .-"  Now  where  do  we  find  from  Paul's  writ- 
ings, that  either  he  or  Peter  consecrated  Linus  as  the  second 
bishop  of  Rome  ?  If  the  sul)ject  of  apostolic  succession,  at  its 
\ery  source  or  commencement,  was  a  matter  of  doubt  and  per- 
plexity to  an  accredited  historian  like  Kus(.'bius,  over  1500 
years  ago,  what  can  we  think  of  the  barefaced  assertions  of  the 
writers  of  the  present  day,  who  pompously  connect  Linus  with 
Peter,  and  link  with  link,  and  then  confidently  exclaim,  "  here 
is  our  chain  !  here  is  the  list  I  look  at  it,  and  judge  for  your- 
selves !"  Well ;  we  feel  disposed  to  look  at  this  subject  a  little 
further,  before  we  dismiss  it. 

In  examining  the  testimony  of  the  ancient  fathers,  who  ad- 
mit that  Peter  was  bishop  of  Rome,  we  find  them  divided  in 

17 


ip" 


iHPMIi 


230 


KI'liSCOl'AL    Ml-rrilOUISM. 


sentiment,  as  to  who  was  the  successor  of  Peter.  Tliree  of 
them  assert,  that  Clkmext  succeeded  Peter.  Four  others  sup- 
pose that  Linus  succeeded  Peter.  But  from  th^  testimony  of 
others  it  is  proved  conclusively,  that  Linus  died  some  years  be- 
fore the  death  of  the  apostle,  so  that  he  could  not  have  suc- 
ceeded the  latttT.  Others  of  the  fathers  give  it  as  their  opinion, 
that  neither  Linus  nor  Clement  succeeded  Peter,  but  that  Clk- 
Tus  was  the  successor.  In  view  of  these  conflicting  testimonies, 
how  supremely  ridiculous,  nay,  how  wicked,  for  professed  min- 
isters of  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  to  palm  off  upon  ignorani 
men  and  women  a  long  list  of  episcopal  successors,  while  not 
only  the  second  link  in  this  unbroken  chain,  but  even  the^;?r5/, 
fails  them  ? 

If  we  admit,  however,  that  Linus,  or  Clkmknt,  or  Cletus, 
was  the  second  bishop,  who,  we  inquire,  was  the  tl  .d  ?  Oh  ! 
the  list  says  "  Clktus  !"  Well,  who  ordained  Cletus  deacon  ? 
who  an  elder  ?  who  a  bishop  ?  And  was  he  the  successor  of 
Linus  ^  or  the  successor  of  Clement  ^  or  the  successor  of  him- 
self? A  catalogue  of  bishops,  carefully  preserviMl  in  the  Rom- 
ish Church,  which  ought  to  be  very  high  authority  with  high 
churchmen,  makes  Cletus  succeed  Linus,  as  the  tltird  bishop 
of  Rome,  Clement  as  the  fourth,  and  Anaclctus  as  the  fifth  ; 
but  it  is  provable  that  Cletus  and  Auacletns  were  one  and  the 
same  person,  "  Cletus"  being  merely  an  abbreviation  of  "  Ana- 
cletus."  How  then  could  he  be  third  and  fifth  bishop  of  Rome  ? 
And  what  became  of  the  unfortunate  Clement,  the  fourth  bishop, 
compressed  between  the  third  and  fifth  bishops  ?  Does  the 
compression  crush  him  into  nothing,  if,  indeed,  he  ever  had  a 
being?  From  the  contradictory  statements  of  the  "  fathers," 
and  other  ecclesiastical  writers,  one  would  almost  suppose  that 
the  existence  of  these  first  bislio[)s  was  jmrc'lv  fabuluus.  For 
instance,  Platina,  the  great  biograjiher  of  the  popes,  says 
that  Peter  made  ClcuKiit  bishop  of  Rome;  wliile  it  is  certain 
that  the  apostle  had  been  dead  for  twentij  years  before  Clement 
WHS  a  bishop  at  all !     Here,  then,  is  darkness !     Here  is  con* 


«1P 


POPE    JOHN    VIII. 


237 


fusion  !  Here  we  have  the  unbroken  and  unbreakable  chain 
of  apostolic  succession,  which  is  not  capable  of  supporting  it- 
self with  five  links,  nor  four,  nor  three,  nor  two,  nor  even  one  ! 

We  miffht  thus  follow  the  lenijth  of  this  fabulous  chain, 
from  link  to  link,  till  we  arrive  at  the  beginnino;  of  the  fifth 
century,  and  from  this  period  to  that  of  the  glorious  reforma- 
tion under  Luther,  the  bishops  of  Rome  appear  to  have  been 
generally  selected  from  among  the  most  abandoned  and  profli- 
gate wretches  that  ever  cursed  the  earth  !  Men  guilty  of 
drunkenness,  whoredom,  incest,  murder,  and  other  unspeakable 
crimes,  were  elevated  to  the  so-called  St.  Peter's  seat.  Not 
only  were  the  successors  corrupt,  but  two,  sometimes  three, 
occupied  the  papal  throne  at  the  same  time.  Pope  anathema- 
tized pope,  and  hurled  thunderbolts  of  wrath  at  the  souls  of 
their  predecessors,  declaring  former  ordinatiotis  null  and  void, 
and  requiring  the  re-ordination  of  those  ministers  already  or- 
dained.     What  a  beautiful  list ! 

But  we  must  pass  over  a  portion  of  this  history,  that  we 
may  examine  particularly  one  link  in  the  chain.  We  refer  to 
pope  John  VIll.  If  any  credit  is  to  be  given  to  history,  this 
J  'e  was  nothing  else  than  a  disguised  female,  who,  by  con- 
cealing her  sex,  was  admitted  to  the  priesthood,  and  by  lier  art 
and  address,  subsequently  became  the  successor  of  Leo  IV.,  in 
the  year  854.  She  filled  the  chair,  and  performed  the  func- 
tions of  the  pope  of  Rome,  for  the  space  of  one  year,  one 
month,  anil  four  days ;  and  indelicate  as  the  allusion  may 
seem,  truth  requinis  us  to  add,  that  her  death  was  caused  by 
giving  birth  to  an  illegitimate  chikl,  while  walking  in  proces- 
sion to  the  Lateral!  church,  in  Rome.  After  her  death,  she 
was  succeeded  by  pope  Benedict  III. 

We  have  been  thus  careful  in  giving  names  and  dates,  be- 
cause this  link  in  the  chain  is  not  a  very  i)leasinL!:  one,  even  to 
protestant  "  successors'"  of  the  apostles,  knowing  as  they  do, 
that  a  spurious  link  is  no  link  at  all  :  hence  the  sticklers  for 
an  unbroken  chain  have  pretended  to  have  doubts  as  to  the 


\   '  i 


238 


EPISCOPAL    METHODISM. 


truth  of  this  liistorical  fact.  But  we  assure  the  reader,  that  if 
jbe  correctness  of  the  fact  were  not  fully  established  by  unim- 
peachable testimony,  we  would  not  have  noticed  it  at  all. 

Platina,  a  Romish  historian,  who  wrote  the  history  of  the 
church,  affirms  it  to  have  been  ?^ '■'■  generally  admitted  fact.^^ 
1'kidkaux,  another  ecclesiastical  historian  of  celebrity,  declares 
that  "  there  {xva  fifty  authorities  helonyiny  to  the  church  in  fa- 
vor of  it"  Flavius  Illykicus,  another  historian,  gives  a 
large  number  of  authorities,  and  proves  from  the  testimony  of 
authors  who  wrote  soon  after  the  events  transpired,  that  they 
were  not  even  doubted,  but  spoken  of  by  said  authors  as  well- 
authenticated  historical  facts.  Mosheim,  the  celebrated  and 
popular  historian,  who  is  frequently  referred  to  by  high  church 
writers  as  evidence  in  proof  of  some  of  their  claims,  asserts  that 
"  durinr/  the  five  succeeding  centuries,  the  facts  ivere  generally 
believed  ;  and  that  a  vast  number  of  tvriters  bore  testimony  to 
the  truth  of  the  same."  He  even  asserts  that  "  before  the  ref- 
ormation, the  fact  referred  to  was  not  considered  incredible  in 
itself,  nor  ignominious  to  the  church."  He  further  states  :  "  It 
is  not  at  all  credible  from  any  principles  of  moral  evidence,  that 
an  event  should  be  believed  and  related  in  the- same  manner, 
by  a  multitude  of  historians,  during  five  centuries  immediately 
succeeding  its  supposed  date,  had  that  event  been  destitute  of 
all  foundation." 

Xow,  when  we  remember  that  all  the  authorities  referred  to 
by  the  above  named  liistorians,  were  members  of  the  Romish 
church,  and  that  they  could  not  possibly  have  been  prompted 
by  sectarian  prejudice  to  record  these  shameful,  yet  painful 
ftcts ;  when  we  consider,  too,  that  these  authorities  wrote  soon 
after  the  events  took  place,  it  would  be  the  height  of  incredu- 
lity to  disbelieve  what  they  assert  on  the  subject.  Indeed 
some,  if  not  all  the  authorities  referred  to,  in  proof  of  the  un- 
broken succession,  have  this  very  link  included  in  the  list. 
Now,  we  ask  in  the  name  of  candor  and  of  decency,  could  this 
abandoned  fe.nale  transmit  the  true  apostolic  virtue  to  her  sue- 


CHARACTEK    OF    THK    POPES. 


230 


cossors,  or  spiritual  descendants  ?  We  will  not  insult  the 
reader's  understanding  by  attempting  a  reply. 

Suffer  us  now  for  a  moment,  to  take  a  glance  at  the  moral 
character  and  pi'oceedings  of  a  few  of  the  succeeding  po})es. 
Stephen  VI.  is  called  the  most  wicked  of  men.  Clement  II. 
was  poisoned  by  pope  Damasos  II.  Sergius  III.  rescinded 
the  acts  of  his  predecessor  pope  Farmosus,  beheaded  his  dead 
body,  and  threw  it  into  the  Tiber.  Pope  John  IX.,  the  illegit- 
imate son  of  Sergius  III.,  is  said  to  have  been  the  blackest 
monster  that  ever  lived.  Pope  John  XIII.  was  killed  in  the 
act  of  adultery.  Sixtus  IV.  licensed  brothels  in  Rome,  for  the 
sake  of  the  income.  Pope  Alexander  VI.  was  guilty  of  incest 
with  his  own  dauixhtcr.  Put  to  end  this  horrible  list  of  incar- 
nate  devils,  let  it  be  sufficient  to  say,  that  Pkidkaux — himself 
an  episcopalian  divine  of  high  standing — enumerates  among 
the  poi)es,  thirty-eight  usurpers,  forty  sodomites,  forty  magi- 
cians or  jugglers,  turty-ono  devourers  (as  he  calls  them),  and 
twenty  incurable  babylonians.  And,  he  might  have  added, 
one  prostitute ! 

Here,  then,  is  a  chain  with  no  less  than  one  hundred  and 
eiahtij  links ;  a  pretty  long  one,  it  is  true,  but  whether  such  a 
one  as  to  excite  admiration,  and  cause  men  to  glory  that  they 
are  regularly  connected  with  it,  and  that  the  "succession"  may 
be  traced  through  it,  is  a  matter  which  we  must  leave  for  the 
"  apostolic"  descendants  to  decide. 


SECTION  III. 


SAME    SUBJECT    CONTINUED. 


"We  are  sometimes  met  by  the  assertion, "  that  the  English  and 
American  episcopacy  are  not  indebted  to,  nor  dependent  upon, 
this  Romish  chain  for  their  succession :  that  lonff  before  the 
Church  of  Rome  had  become  corrupt,  the  Church  of  England 


i;        j 

li        i 

ll 

1 

i 

! 


\340 


EI'ISCOI'AL    METHODISM. 


had  obtained  its  opiscopacy ;  and  that  the  stream  thus  obtained 
from  a  pure  fountain,  has  retained  its  original  purity,  uncor- 
rupted  by,  and  independent  of,  the  Church  of  Rome." 

Now  this  is  certainly  a  strange  assertion.  Strange  !  because 
it  is  notoriously  untrue ;  contradicted  not  only  by  ecclesiastical, 
but  also  by  profane  history.  The  lioniish  succession  of  bish- 
o{)S  was  introduced  into  Kngland  in  the  person  of  Augustine, 
a  monk,  who  was  ordained  by  the  pope's  authority.  Augus- 
tine, on  his  arrival  in  England,  accompanied  by  forty  other 
monks,  found  bisho[)S  in  the  church ;  but  these  English  bish- 
ops had  only  presbyterian  ordination.  Augustine,  anxious  to 
bring  them  into  the  succession,  insisted  on  their  re-ordinntion, 
by  the  imposition  of  his  hands,  to  which  many  submitted. 
The  above  fact  proves  that  till  nearly  the  close  of  the  0th  cen- 
tury, the  English  clergy  had  by  some  means  got  along  with- 
out the  popish  succession,  and  that  they  appear  to  have  been 
satisfied  till  then,  with  the  ancient  order  of  things,  namely, 
presbyterian  ordination  ;  but  the  popish  succession  having 
been  now  obtained,  or  imposed  upon  them,  it  was  not  long 
before  the  clergy,  as  a  general  thing,  became  decidedly  popish, 
not  only  in  doctrine,  but  in  practice  also.  Subsequent  history 
proves  also  that  the  clergy,  instead  of  preserving  themselves 
and  the  church  from  contact  with  the  "  mother  of  abomina- 
tions," had  recourse,  again  and  again,  to  the  pope,  for  the  ordi- 
nation of  their  bishops,  so  that  in  the  archepiscopal  see  of 
Canterbury,  from  the  time  of  Theodore,  A.  D.  6G8,  till  the 
year  1414,  no  less  than  fourteen'  bishops  and  ARCiinisiiops 
obtained  their  ajipointment  and  ordination  at  the  hands  of  the 
pope,  or  the  pope's  legate. 

In  the  Archbishopric  of  York,  during  a  space  of  a  little  over 
two  hundred  years — from  1110  to  1342 — no  less  than  tev 
BISHOPS  were  ordained  by  the  pope  or  his  orders.  In  the  See 
of  Durham,  four  of  its  bishops  were  ordained  at  Rome  during 
the  same  period.  In  the  See  of  Winchester,  during  nearh 
the  same  period,  six  of  the  bishops  were  ordained  by  thr  pope. 


mmm 


KNOMSII    KI'ISC'OT  AT.    SUCOF.SSION. 


241 


Thus  we  niiiilit  <;o  on  from  one  diocese  to  another,  throuiijh  the 
whole  of  England,  and  we  should  find  that  all  of  thfm  re- 
ceived more  or  less  of  their  bishops  from  Rome.  And  why 
not  ?  Was  nut  popery  the  established  religion  of  the  kingdom  ? 
And  where  should  the  churcli  look  for  its  "  bishops  and  other 
clergy"  but  to  the  fountain-head,  however  corrupt  tl\at  foun 
tain  might  be?  It  should  also  be  remembered  that  the  prel- 
ates abce  alluded  to,  were  given  by  Home  to  England,  during 
the  darkest  and  bloodiest  days  of  the  p<jj)edom. 

We  can  thus  trace  the  succession  of  the  present  race  of 
English  bishops,  and  also  of  the  Americati  bishops,  back  to 
bloody  Rome ;  for  Bishop  White,  the  first  bishop  of  the  Prot- 
estant Episcopal  Churcli,  received  his  ordination  from  the  arch- 
bishop of  Canterbury,  and  he  from  his  fellow-bishops,  who 
received  theirs  indirectly  and  remotely  from  the  pope  himself. 

Having  thus  examined  the  claim  of  apostolic  succession, 
havint;  followed  the  lenii'th  of  the  chain  from  beijimiinij  to  end, 
we  are  prepared  to  ask  in  all  sincerity,  what  think  ye  of  this 
claim?  Is  it  well  founded?  Does  it  commend  itself  to  our 
sober  judgment  and  enlightened  reason?  Are  we  preparetl  to 
admit,  that  those  who  have  this  spurious  and  corrupt  succes- 
sion, constitute  the  onli/  true  church  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  that 
all  other  Christians  are  schismatics  and  heretics  ? 

But  it  is  maint.  ined  that  even  allowini;  the  stream  aloncj 
which  the  succes-.ion  has  flowed  to  have  been  imjture,  yet 
"bishops  as  a  third  order,  and  as  the  successors  of  the  apostles, 
are  the  onli/  persons  who  may  lawfully  ordain,  because  tluit 
presbyters  or  elders  have  wot  this  antliority  expressly  given 
them  in  their  commission."  In  reply  we  remark.  Jiat  in  the 
commission  given  to  the  apostles,  there  is  no  cx/tress  authority 
^^iven  them  to  ordain  and  send  forth  ministers.  Their  com- 
mission directed  them  to  teach,  preach  and  baptize,  but  said 
not  a  word  about' ordaining;  yet  it  is  evident  that  in  the  ab- 
sence of  express  authority,  they  did  ordain  ministers.  W"' 
l>*g  you  also  to  remember  a  fact  already  referred  to,  namely, 


242 


EPISCOPAL    METHODISM. 


>!- 


that  although  exercising  the  functions  of  ordination,  the  apos- 
tles were  never  called  bishops ;  that  they  never  called  them- 
selves bishops  ;  nor  ever  claimed  to  be  such.  But  while  they 
did  not  claim  to  be  bishops,  they  did  claim  to  be  elders,  or 
presbyters ;  hence  Peter,  in  writing  to  his  brethren,  says : 
"  The  elders  who  are  among  you  I  exhort,  who  am  also  an 
ELDKR."  The  apostle  John,  also,  in  two  of  his  epistles,  intro- 
duces himself  not  as  a  bishop,  but  as  an  elder,  thus:  "The 
elder  to  the  elect  lady."  "  The  elder  to  the  well-beloved 
Gains."  From  these  passages  we  infer  that  the  apostles  were 
in  fact  elders  ;  that  elders  were  the  highest  order  of  ministers 
known  in  the  church ;  and  that  the  apostles  exercised  the  right 
of  ordination,  by  virtue  of  their  ministerial  standing  as  elders 
in  the  church  of  God.  It  may  be  proper  here  also  to  observe, 
that  in  the  description  given  of  the  glories  of  the  church  tri- 
umphant by  the  apostle  John,  in  the  book  of  Revelation,  there 
is  nothing  said  about  either  apostles  or  bishops  biiing  recog- 
nized as  such  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  while  elders  are  not 
only  named,  but  referred  to  as  occupying  the  highest  rank 
among  the  blood-washed  throng ;  an  evidence  to  our  own 
mind,  that  whatever  may  be  the  relative  order  of  elders  as 
ministers  in  the  church  on  earth,  in  heaven  they  have  no  su- 
perior order  among  the  redeemed.  If,  then,  the  apostles  were 
in  fact  elders,  and  elders  only  so  far  as  order  is  concerned,  it 
will  of  course  follow  that  their  successors  can  be  nothing  naore, 
and  that  the  power  of  ordination  should  be  retained  and  exer- 
cised by  the  eldership  of  the  church,  they  being  the  only  rep- 
resentatives of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  on  earth ;  while  bishops 
are  such,  not  because  they  are  bishops,  but  because  that  being 
bishops  they  are  elders  also ;  and,  as  elders,  are  the  true  suc- 
cessors of  the  apostles,  in  common  with  their  brethren  of  the 
presbytery. 

But  the  question  may  arise  in  some  minds,  "  How  came  this 
third  order  to  be  recognized  in  the  church  as  a  distinct  and 
superior  order  ?"     In  reply,  we  need  simply  state  that,  like  ali 


RIGHTS    OF    PRESBYTERS. 


243 


other  corruptions  and  abuses,  this  one  fastened  itself  upon  the 
churcli  ahnost  imperceptibly,  and  by  slow  degrees.  At  an 
early  age  after  the  apostles,  it  was  thought  best  that  the  power 
of  ordination  should  not  be  used  indiscriminately  by-the  elders 
of  the  church,  but  for  the  sake  of  greater  unity,  and  to  prevent 
as  far  as  possible  the  abuse  of  this  power  by  individual  pres- 
byters, its  exercise  should  be  limited  in  most  cases  to  the  pre- 
siding presbyter  or  elder,  whose  station  as  president — added 
to  his  greater  wisdom  and  experience — bettor  qualified  him  to 
judge  of  the  exj)ediency  of  exercising  the  power  of  ordination 
in  any  given  case.  This  arrangement  was  no  doubt  called  for, 
and  was  perfectly  proper ;  indeed,  we  can  discover  marks  of 
wisdom  and  Christian  prudence  in  the  same :  but  it  was  a 
mere  human  arrangement  after  all,  without  divine  warrant  or 
authority ;  without  even  apostolic  example  to  recommend  it ; 
and  when  once  introduced  into,  and  entailed  upon  the  church 
as  a  fixed  usage,  it  is  easy  to  comprehend  how  new  powers 
might  be  added  to  that  of  ordination,  until  at  length  the  pre- 
siding presbyter  or  bishop  claimed  the  exclusive  privilege  of 
conferring  orders  as  a  divine  right  belonging  only  to  the 
bishop.* 

From  these  remarks,  it  can  be  seen  that  bishops  have  no 
more  Scriptural  or  divine  right  to  ordain,  than  any  simple 
presbyter  in  the  church ;  yet  for  the  sake  of  peace,  harmony? 
and  greater  unity,  it  may  be  proper  for  the  presbyters  to  enter 

*  Occasion  has  been  taken  from  a  knowledge  of  the  above  facts  to 
oppose  tlie  episcopal  office  as  unnecessary  and  even  danijerous  to  the 
liberties  of  the  ch\irch.  We  should,  however,  carefully  distinguish 
between  the  proper  use  and  abuse  of  a  thing.  All  good  things  may 
be  abused,  and  all  l)lessings  may  be  perverted ;  so  with  the  episco- 
pacy :  good  in  its  de-sign  and  operations,  when  properly  checked.  No 
genuine  protestant  doubts  the  fact  of  tlie  Roman  priesthood,  or  pres- 
bytery, as  such,  being  a  curse  instead  of  a  blessing  to  the  world  ;  but 
surely  it  would  be  wrong  to  discard  the  entire  body  of  Christian  elders 
on  that  account,  or  to  seek  the  annihilation  of  either  the  order  or 
office. 


•'im 


II 


III  I    '' 
I 


i  I 


!    i  11 


!  III!  i 

1 1 


il  I  SI:! 
i 


J    r 


u 


KHiarOPAI.    MKTIIODmM. 


into  a  liumun  arrangement,  Ky  witicli  tlie  pc  »ver  or  privilenro 
of  granting  orders  may  be  deh'gatcd  to  some  ono  or  more  of 
their  number.  Hut  this  delegation  of  power  for  the  time  be- 
ing, cannot  alienate  even  for  a  moiiient  tlie  divine  right  of 
presbyters  to  set  apart  proper  persons  to  the  ministry,  whi  n 
circumstances  seem  imj)eriou>ly  to  demand  it.  To  make  this 
matter  in,  we  will  suppose  that  the  sovereign  of  dreat  Britr 
a'",i,  being  the  fountain  of  all  power  and  honor  in  her  own 
dominions,  should  authoiize  her  cabinet  ministers,  or  either  of 
them,  to  confer  titles  of  nobility  on  whomsoever  she  sliouM 
previously  select.  And  suppose,  further,  that  for  the  sake  of 
greater  convenience,  the  e.ibinct  should  select  one  of  their 
number  as  their  agent  or  representative  in  this  matter,  who 
alone  should  have  a  conventional  right  ofHcially  to  confer 
these  titles.  And  sup])0se,  further,  that  this  arrangement 
should  become  fixed  usage  without  any  further  instructions 
from  the  Queen  than  those  before  stated,  and  that  sshen  cer- 
tain changes  took  place  in  the  cabinet,  the  succeeding  ministers, 
for  good  reasons,  refused  to  abide  by  the  above  arrangement ; 
would  they  not  be  competent  to  rescind  the  rule  which  had 
hitherto  governed  the  cabinet,  and  use  the  authority  given 
them  by  their  sovereign  in  conferring  these  titles?  ^^iv  !  un- 
der certain  circumstances,  might  it  ii  >t  be  their  imperative  duty 
to  resume  the  exercise  of  their  common  powers,  especially  if 
the  minister  previously  appointed  for  the  purpose  had  abused 
his  authority,  either  by  refusing  to  confer  titles  upon  the  per- 
sons selected,  or  by  conferring  them  upon  persons  not  seh'cted, 
or  by  exacting  exorbitant  sums  of  money  from  those  on  whom 
titles  were  conferred?  Might  it  not,  I  ask,  be  the  solemn  duty 
of  the  members  of  the  cabinet  to  resume  tiieir  delegated  pow- 
ers? It  certainly  might.  Just  so  in  reference  to  presbyters. 
Jesus  Cln-ist,  who  selects  wliom  he  will  as  his  ministers,  has 
conferred  upon  the  elders  of  his  church,  or  either  of  them,  the 
power  of  conferring  orders  upon  those  previously  selected  by 
him.     These  elders  may,  for  the  sake  of  unity  and  convenience. 


niGMTS    OF    PUESHYTERS. 


240 


inviiefjo 


KiuvQ  tlie  personal  exorcise  of  this  power,  and  delegate  tlio 
BHiiio  to  one  or  more  of  tlu'ir  number,  and  m-ty  denominate 
the  persons  thus  deleiij'ited  their  bishops,  pre.*id"nts,  superin- 
tendents, chairmen,  moderators,  presidinijf  eith'rs,  ov  :niything 
else  th(>y  chocse ;  l)Ut  the  persons  thus  selected  remain  eldera 
still,  the  same  in  onlcr  with  their  brother  eiders,  but  suj)erior 
in  o(/ic(.  And  if,  as  has  Ix'Mi  the  case  with  moibru  bishops, 
inij)roper  and  even  nngodly  persons  have  been  ordained  by 
them  to  the  office  of  the  ministry  ;  and  if,  as  can  also  be  clearly 
shown,  persons  proj)erly  (pialitied  ami  selected  to  that  office  by 
the  Head  of  the  Church  himself,  have  by  these  same  prelates 
been  denied  ordination,  a^  in  th(i  case  of  the  Uev.  Joseph  Ben- 
son and  others :  oui^ht  not  the  presbytery  of  the  church  ovef 
which  these  unfaithful  bishops  j>resid.',  to  resume  the  power  of 
ordination,  and  not  only  withhold  it  from  im])roper  persons, 
but  confer  it  where  the  («od  of  heaven  has  clearly  indicated 
that  it  shoulii  be  conferred  1  Should  they  not  confer  the 
power  to  ordain  and  send  forth  ministers,  upon  persons  who 
wi'l  faithfully  discharg'e  the  duties  they  o've  to  God,  to  his 
church,  and  to  its  divinely  comujissioned  ministers? 

Such  is  the  episcopacy  of  the  Metliodf-i  Episcopal  Church  in 
these  United  States.  Such,  also,  i^  the  Presid.  ticy  of  the  Brit- 
ish Wesleyan  (Jhurch,  and  (jther  Methodist  Churches  in  Europe 
and  \uierica.  Such,  also,  is  the  prevairm<^  sentiment  and  j)rac- 
tice  of  every  protestant  church  in  the  \  orld,  excej)tin<j,  of 
course,  that  branc.i  of  the  church  which  is  governed  not  by  its 
immediate  j)astors,  but  by  a  hierarchy,  a  spiritual  aristocracy, 
an  episcopal  nobility,  as  far  elevated  al)ove  the  eldership,  as  the 
latter  are  above  the  laity  ;  an  order  of  ministers  claiming  the 
exclusive  possession  and  use  of  the  "  keys  of  the  kingdom  of 
heaven,"  and  exercising  the  sole  right  of  admitting  persons  to 
the  ministry,  and  even  to  the  bosom  of  the  church.  From  such 
an  exclusive,  monopolizing  episcopacy  as  this,  we  earnestly  pray 
to  be  delivered  ;  and  we  pity  the  minister,  who,  supposing 
there  is  a  divine  warrant  for  such  claims,  suffers  himself  to  be 


240 


KPisr-or'Ai,  MKrrinni.SM. 


h 


f-    .  ?y 


fu  far  bliiulod  l»y  error  as  to  witliliDkl  from  niiiiistcrs  mid  mr-m- 
Imth  of  othfir  cliuiehes,  an  acknovvlodgiiicut  of  their  truo  relu- 
tion  to  tlio  body  of  Christ. 

We  are  however  happy  to  know,  that  while  many  allow 
themselves  to  induluje  in  uiieharitable  ffcliiii^s  toward  other 
churehes,  there  are  hundreds  of  otlnjr  ministers,  who  althongh 
in  the  "  succession,"  so  called,  willinjxly  acknowhidu^e  the  valid- 
ity of  presbyteriaii  ordination,  and  the  j)roprinty  of  its  adniinis- 
tration  under  certain  circumstances,  ft  was  with  such  viiiws  as 
these,  that  the  "  aposths  of  Metlujdism,"  himself  a  "  presbyter," 
and  as  high  in  order  by  divine  riLchi,  as  his  (irace  the  Arch- 
bishop of  Canterbury,  set  apart  (-"rtain  persons  to  the  work  of 
the  ministry  ; — persons  who  had  L(iven  indubitable  evidence  of 
their  being  previously  callr(l  to  the  work  by  the  Holy  (Jhost, 
but  who  were  refused  ordination  by  the  Knglish  I'i-rarchy.  On 
the  same  principle,  Mr.  Wesley,  while  as  yet  there  were  no 
Methodist  presbyters  in  America,  appointed  a  fellow-prcjsbyter, 
Dr.  Coke,  to  go  and  confer  ordination  uj)on  those  men  of  God, 
who  (while  other  pastors  fled,  and  left  their  Hocks  to  perish  in 
the  wilderness)  maintained  their  ground  in  the  midst  of  dan- 
ger, and  fed  their  people  witli  the  bread  of  life.  It  is  true,  as 
before  stated,  that  Mr.  Wesley,  as  a  member  and  niinister  of 
the  Church  of  I'Jigland,  preferred  an  e])iscopal  form  of  church 
government,  and  in  accordance  with  his  expressed  wish,  the 
early  preachers  formed  themselves  and  flock  into  an  episcopal 
church,  and  ordained  men  as  deacons,  elders,  and  superintend- 
ents ;  but  in  the  view  of  Mr.  Wesley,  Dr.  Coke,  and  the  preach- 
ers ordained  by  him,  there  was  a  wide  difterence  between  a 
high-toned,  aristocratic,  bombastic  e[)iscopacy,  such  as  prevailed 
in  England  and  Rome,  and  a  moderate  episcopal  superintend- 
ency,  such  as  prevailed  among  the  Moravians,  Waldenses,  and 
German  Lutherans.  They  knew  jiow  to  distinguish  between 
an  order  and  an  office  ;  between  the  abuses  of  a  lordly,  purse- 
proud  hierarchy,  and  the  simplicity  and  utility  of  an  apostolic 
superintendency,  and  wisely  and  prudently — as  the  history  of 


MKTHOniST  suocKsaroN. 


247 


till!  past  sixty-seten  years  fully  doinonstratfts — orjijatiizcd  in  ac- 
onlaiici!  with  tlio  wishes  of  the  father  of  Mcthoflism,  a  system 
of  ehurch  <i;overntnetjt,  wliieli  for  siinpiieity,  moderation,  unity, 
and  eflicient  )noral  power,  challenges  the  admiration  of  the 
Christian  world ! 

This  system  of  church  povornmoi  *.  niit,dit  well  ho  denomi- 
natinl  a  prcxhi/trridu  ejjincojHirf/,  as  it  embraces  the  advantaj^es 
of  both  the  presbyterian  and  ('piseopal  forms  of  government,  and 
rejects  whatever  is  sujterthiou.-^'  and  unnecessary  in  either  one  or 
the  other.  A  system,  in  a  word,  which  teaches  the  validity  of 
presbyterian  ordination,  with,  at  the  same  time,  an  episcopal 
superintetidency. 

But  it  is  said,  that  the  "  Methodist  Kpiscojial  succession  is 
sjiurious,  because  it  cannot  be  traced  back  further  than  the  time 
of  Wesley."  In  reply,  we  may  remark  tiiat  we  have  no  desire 
to  trace  it  back  any  furtlujr ;  that  even  if  wi;  could  succeed  in 
tracing  the  same  back  to  the  Romish  line,  the  result  would  by 
no  means  add  to  our  honor  as  a  church,  or  the  validity  of  our 
ministerial  acts.  The  "  succession"  is  too  rotten  for  us  to  de- 
sire any  ailinity  with  it,  or  de[iendence  on  it,  or  descent  from  it. 
Such  a  succession  as  we  have,  thank  (rod  !  is  from  a  pure 
source,  carried  down  through  a  pure  stream,  and  destined,  we 
trust,  to  retain  its  purity,  till  time  is  no  longer. 

We  may  further  reply,  that  on  the  ground  of  the  ministerial 
parity  of  bishops  and  presbyters,  we  have  the  succession  as  truly 
and  sciipturally  as  any  other  e[)iscopal  church  on  earth.  IJut 
to  let  this  view  of  the  subject  pass,  it  slunild  be  n'Uiembered  by 
the  objectors,  that  the  clergy  of  the  English  church  and  her 
American  daughter  cannot  trace  Ihelr  successio!i  back  further 
tl'.an  the  time  of  the  Refortnati(jn  under  Luther.  We  have 
before  proved,  that  prior  to  the  Reformation,  tlu;  English  church, 
received  her  ordinations  from  Rome  ;  that  in  fact,  as  a  church, 
fhe  was  part  and  parcel  of  the  Church  of  Rome.  All  her  eccle- 
siastical authority  was  derived  from  the  Pope.  All  her  arch- 
bishops and  bishops  were  appointed  either  directly  or  indirectly 


i  ' 


•248 


EHI8C0HAL    MEIHOUISM. 


■^1! 


by  liim,  or  at  least  with  his  cousctit  and  apiirobatioii,  and  evenj 
une  of  said  bislions  took  an  oatli  of  obiMliciici;  to  the  Pojio,  as 
an  imlispensable  prercijuisite  to  consecration. * 

Now  if  the  Pope,  as  universal  bishop,  and  as  the  vicegerent 
of  Jesus  Clirist,  had  a  scriptural  right  to  ajjpoint  and  ordain 
these  bishops,  on  the  sworn  promise;  of  their  obedience  to  him 
as  their  head  ;  he  had  also,  when  their  consecration  oath  was 
violated  by  disobedience  and  opposition,  the  scriptural  right  to 
depose  tlu'iu  from  their  otlice  of  bishoj),  so  that  in  the  lattei 
case,  the  powers  ot  bishops  being  withdrawn,  all  their  subse- 
quent acts  as  bisho])s  would  be  null  and  void.  It  is  therefore 
a  matter  of  no  little  importance  to  know  that  such  depositions 
did  take  j)lace.  Bishops  and  archbishojis  were  not  only  de- 
posed by  the  Pope,  but  excotnmunicated  from  the  church. 
What  then  became  of  their  j»revious  official  authority  to  or- 
dain, and  of  what  value  were  their  acts,  subseipKMit  to  the  {)e- 
riod  of  their  deposition  and  expulsion  ^  And  yet  these  very 
bishops  continued,  in  spite  of  the  Pojie's  anathema,  to  adminis- 
ter the  functions  of  their  ollice.  We  may  well  adniire  their 
courage  and  independence,  but  we  must  coid'ess  that  the  suc- 
cession here  came  to  a  stand.  Here  we  meet  with  other  asser- 
tions,  namely  :  "  that  the  ecclesiastical   authorities   at   Home, 

*  'I'hc   followin;^  is   the   fttrin  of  oath   taken    by  such    l)islu)ps  :  "  1, 

N ,  iVimi  tliis  hour,  will  be  I'aith.l'iil  and  oljedieiit  to  my  hjtd  N 

Pope,  and  to  liis  suci'css(»rs ;  tlie  couii-el  that  Ihey  sliall  (U'iiver  to  i.ie, 
I  will  reveal  to  no  one  to  their  (laniai,'o.  I  will  he  their  helper  in  rc- 
taininu,-  the  pap-acy  and  royalties  of  SI.  l*(>ter,  and  F  will  defend  them 
against,  every  man.  I  will  be  careful  to  jiroscrvo,  defend,  and  |)romote 
the  rights,  honor,  privilei^es,  and  authority  of  the  pope,  f  will  not  be 
(a  l)arty)  in  any  counsel,  deed,  or  treaty,  in  wliicii  nuiy  he  devi>ed  any- 
thing sinister  against  the  pope,  or  prejudi(nal  to  his  per>on,  rights,  or 
jiuwfjr :  and  if  1  sliall  knort'  any  such  tiling  to  he  under  discussion  by 
nny  jiarties  soever,  I  will  hinder  it  as  far  a-*  1  am  ahle,  and  as  soon  as 
1  know  it,  I  will  signify  it  to  my  lord  the  Pope.  The  apostolic  man- 
dates I  will  observe  with  all  my  powers,  and  [  will  cause  them  to  be 
observed  by  others.  ]ii;uKrics  and  Reukls  against  my  lord  the  Pope, 
I  will  persecute  U7id  attack." 


ONCE  A  uiaiior  always  a  bishop. 


249 


who  conferred  ordination  on  the  English  bishops  and  clergy, 
had  no  power  to  depose  them  ;"  "  th.it  the  episcopal  and  min- 
isterial power  once  (jivcn,  can   never  be  taken   away  ;"  "  that 
once  a  hishop,  always  a  bishop  ;  once  a  jiriest,  always  a  priest." 
This  is  straiiLi'e  loijic  !      It'  this  reasoninu;  is  correct,  it  will  follow 
that  Judas  Iscariot,  aft(^r  he  betrayed   his  J^ord,  would,  without 
repentance;  or  contrition,  have  always  remained  a  true  apostle 
as  long  as  i;'-  lived  ;   notwithstanding  the  apostle  I'eter  asserts, 
that  "from  his  vninistry  and  apostleship,  Judas,  by  transgres- 
sion, _/(//."     JIad  Judas  lived  for  many  years  after  his  trans- 
gression— had  he  been  as  wicked  and  persecuting  as  Nero  him- 
self— had  he  become  an  apostate  from  Christianity — yet  would 
ho  have  been  (if  the  above  reasoning  is  correct)  an  apostle  still. 
Had  all  the  a})ostles  combined  in  deposing  hiiii,  lie  might  have 
laughed  them  in  the  face,  and  exclaimed — ''  once  a  bishop,  al- 
ways a  bishop  ;  once  an  apostle,  always  an   aj)ostle."     Who 
does  not  see  the  glaring  absurdity  of  such  a  doctrine  as  tliis  ? 
a  doctrine  so  utterly  destitute  of  reason  that  we  wonder  that 
any  man  "  pretending  to  holy  orders,"  or  to  any  degree  of  dis- 
C(!rnment,  or  common  sense,  should  be  found  guilty  of  main- 
taining it.     ])Ut  let  ns  examine  this  jioint  a  little  further.     On 
the  {irinciples  of  high  churchmen,  the  Roman  Catholic  Church, 
before  the  Reformation,  wan:  either  the  true  church  of  Christ,  or 
it  was  not.     If  it  ivas,  its  acts  of  deposition  and  exconmiunica- 
tion   must  have  been  ee^ually  valid  with  its  acts  of  admission 
and  ordination,  so  that  every  deposed  priest,  or  bisliop,  became 
a  mere  layman  ;  consequently  the  subsenuent  ))ri'tended  official 
acts  of  these  persons  could  not  be  worth  a  straw.     In  proof  of 
this  •'^'■e  ^hitt.  xvi.  18,  19— where  Christ  says  to  Peter,  "Thou 
art  I'eter  ;  and   upon   this   rock  will    I   build   my  church,"  cl'c. 
"  And  T  will  give  utito  thee  tlie  keys  of  the  king(h)m  of  heaven  ; 
and  whatsoever  thou  slialt  bind   on  earth,  shall  be  bound  iu 
heaven  ;  and   whatsoever  thou  shalt  loose  on   earth,  shall  be 
loosed  in  heaven."     ()n  the  supposition,  then,  that  the  Church 
of  Rome  was,  before  the  Reformation,  the  true  church,  the  Pope 


■:   \l 


I     i 


ii  Hi 


li 


ii 


'"'M\ 


'I    '    '-'!■■', 


I    S- 


;.  -  /  . 


2,-0 


EI^ISCOPAL    MKTIIODISM. 


must  liavt  been  a  h'yitim;ite  and  regular  successor  of  the  apos- 
tle I'eter,  to  whom  was  committed  the  keys  of  the  kingdom, 
with  the  original  power  of  ".'iiding,  and  loosing  ;  and  as  the 
autliority  to  bind,  and  loose,  was  general  in  its  application,  it  is 
evident  that  *^  whatsoever''^  the  I'ope  "bound''  on  earth  by  his 
bulls,  or  "  loosed"  l.)y  his  excommunications,  was  bound  or 
loosed  in  heaven — whether  layman,  deacon,  priest,  or  bishop. 
Where  then  is  the  En<;lish  succession  ?  l>ut  if  the  lloman 
Catholic  Church  before  the  Reformation  was  not  the  true  church 
of  Jesus  Christ,  of  what  virtue  were  her  previous  acts  of  ordi- 
nation ?  If  she  was  not  the  true  church,  she  must  have  been 
a  spurious  one,  her  official  acts  spurious,  her  ordinations  spu- 
rious, and  thus  the  succession  be  a  spurious  succession. 

We  are  not  particular  which  of  these  horns  of  a  dilemma 
the  successionists  may  prefer;  for  our  own  part,  we  are  thank- 
ful that  we  are  not  obliged  to  iiang  upon  either,  as  wo  repudi- 
ate the  whole  system  of  apostolical  succession  as  a  humbug,  a 
cheat,  a  delusion  of  the  devil,  wherewith  to  beguile  unstable 
souls  from  the  true  fold  of  Christ.  No  !  the  true  test  of  a  gos- 
pel ministry  and  a  gospel  church  is  success,  and  not  succession. 
Christ  says  of  his  true  ministers,  by  their  fruits  ye  shall  know 
them  ;  while  [irelatical  usurpers  exclaim,  by  the  succession-list 
ye  shall  know  them  ;  "  Examine  this  list,!'  say  they,  "  and  if 
y<;u  find  a  regular  series  of  names,  from  that  of  the  person 
whose  claim  you  are  inquiring  into,  back  to  that  of  the  apostle 
Peter,  you  may  rest  assured  such  a  person  is  in  the  true  suc- 
cession ;  no  m  ater  what  his  moral  character  ;  no  matter  what 
liis  natural  or  acquired  fitness  for  the  office  ;  no  matter  what 
his  want  of  success  in  calling  sinners  to  repentance  ;  if  his  name 
is  only  on  the  list,  he  is  a  true  minister  uf  Jesus  Christ.  l)Ut 
if  his  name  is  not  on  the  list,  if  he  has  the  piety  of  John,  the 
eloquence  of  Apollos,  the  Christian  boldness  of  I'eter,  and  the 
success  of  Paul,  yet  is  he  no  minister,  but  an  intruder  into  the 
sacred  office,  a  mere  teacher  pretending  to  holy  orders.  Vea  ! 
if  he  can  appeal,  as  Paul,  to  the  thousands  converted  through 


OBJECTIONS    TO    HIGH    CHURCH    CLAIMS. 


251 


his  iiistrumentulity,  and  say,  '  The  seals  of  my  apostleship  are 
ye  in  the  Lord  ;'  and  '  ye  are  our  epistles  written  in  our  hearts 
known  and  read  of  all  men,'  yet,  if  his  name  is  not  on  the  list, 
he  is  no  ministe, — the  congregations  which  he  serves  are  with- 
out the  gospel,  without  sacraments,  without  church-member- 
filiip,  and  without  an  interest  in  the  kingdom  of  God." 

Now  what  high-toned  arrogance  is  this  !  Xay  !  wliat  down- 
right imj)ud(ince  to  unchristiaiiize  nearly  every  protestant  church 
in  tlie  Christian  world  !  Methodists,  Baptists,  I'resbyterians, 
Lutht-rans,  I'rotestants  of  France,  Independents,  Quakers,  (fee, 
must  all  be  contented  with  the  position  of  heathens,  having  an 
interest  only  in  the  "  uncovenanted  mercies  of  God  !" 

We  are  now  prepared,  l)y  way  of  rec;i,pitulation  and  infer- 
ence, to  state  a  few  leading  objectiotis  to  the  doctrine  of  apos- 
tolic succession,  as  held  by  the  high  church  party.  And  1st, 
we  object  to  the  claims  because  they  are  loithnat  divine  ivar- 
raiit.  \V(i  defy  the  most  learned  prelate  to  place  his  finger  on 
the  passage  of  Scripture  from  which  the  justice  of  these  claims 
may  be  even  inferred — Christ  says  to  his  true  ministers,  "  Lo  I 
am  with  you  alway,  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world  ;"  but  he 
nowhere  states  that  they  must  be  ordained  by  those  who  have 
passed  through  a  triple  consecration. 

2d.  We  object  to  tlu;  claims  of  uninterrui>ted  succession  be- 
cause the  history  of  the  Christian  church  is  in  direct  opposition 
to  them.  Even  popish  historians,  and  the  most  accredited 
writers  in  tlie  Church  of  England,  prove  the  falsity  of  these 
claims,  and  show  beyond  a  doubt  that  this  doctrine  is  a  "cun- 
ningly devised  fable." 

3d.  We  oiiiect  to  these  claims  aujain,  because  tlie  bri<xhtest 
ornaments  that  ever  graced  the  ejjiscopal  chair,  in  the  English 
and  American  Episcopal  Churehes,  have;  denied  the  validity  of 
tlie  same.  We  instance  only  the  following  Archbishops  and 
Bishops  :  Cranmer,  Whitgift,  Grindai,  Eeighton,  Jewt  1,  Whitta- 
ker,  iteynolds,  Tillottson,  Burnet,  Stillingtleet,  lloadley,  Usher 
Dowman,  Croft,  Hall,  Bancroft,  Andrews,  Forbes,  Wake,  Chil- 

18 


252 


KJ'ISCOI'AL    METHODISM, 


'I! 


linL,^\vortl),  and  White,  the  latter  being  the  tiiht  bishop  of  tlic 
I'rotestaiit  Episcopal  Church  in  America.  These  eminent 
P^piscopalian  prelates,  with  hiiiulrcds  of  others,  have  borne  um- 
ple  testimony  in  favor  of  our  position,  and  in  oj>position  to 
these  claims. 

4th.  V\\',  ol)ject  to  those  claims,  because  that  to  yii-ld  to 
them,  would  be  entailing  upon  the  churi'h  a  lordl)'  hierarchy, 
and  that,  too,  under  the  pretence  that  it  is  by  divine  right ; 
while  Jesus  taught  his  disciph's  to  "call  no  man  x\raster  upon 
earth  ;''  for,  saith  he,  "  (jne  is  your  Master,  even  Christ,  and  all 
ye  are  brethren.'"  IJesides :  a  pretended  sujieriority  of  this 
kind  requires  a  corresponding  amount  of  means  to  sustain  it ; 
hence,  the  Archbishop  of  Catiterbury  and  his  brother  prelates, 
must  have  from  twenty-five^  thousand  to  one  hundred  thousand 
dollars  each,  per  annum,  and  the  other  clergy  in  ])roportion  to 
their  rank  ;  while  the  bishojis  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal 
Church  in  America,  although  not  rceiving  as  nnich,  have  cer- 
tainly much  larger  salaries  than  are  necessary  for  their  com- 
fortable su])port. 

5th.  This  system,  and  these  claims,  have  a  tendency  to  fos- 
ter a  spirit  o\'  pride  and  vain-glory.  Who  ha-;  not  witnessed 
with  pain  and  mental  distress,  the  lordly  air  and  h.'Uighty 
nearing  of  some  who  profess  to  be  ministers  of  the  uwx-k  and 
lowly  Jesus,  who  said  to  his  <lisciples,  "  He  that  will  be  the 
greatest  among  you,  let  him  be  your  servant!"'     An<l  i.>  it  not 

'     '  is 


prop 


er  inference,  that  whatever  tends  to   exalt   man  in  h 


own  eyes,  by  giving  him  a  fancied  superiority  (jver  others,  can- 
not be  of  God  ? 

A  0th  objection  to  these  claims  is,  that  they  nourish  a  sj/irit 
of  bigotry  and   sectarianism.     "'I''-'  tcni] 


)l(!     O 


f  the   Lord  art 


w 


e!"  and,  "  We  thaidv  th.-.'.  ''>  C>j,j,  ;!;;i'  we  are  not  as  other 


men 


are — without   the  churcii. 


V'lUO!.! 


t  'h< 


'inistry,  wi 


thout 


the  sacraments,  or   even   as   thes 


lO- 


deluded   dissenters 


"We  are  tln^  only  true  church;  all  o'i  er  professed  Christiana 
are  entitled  onl\'  to  the  uncovenanted  mercies  of  God,  the  saino 


OBJECTIONS    TO    IIIOr{    CHURCH    CLAIMS. 


253 


(>f   tllO 

'miiiont 
■iw.  lim- 
it i(jii  to 


as  lioathetip  who  have  no  church,  no  ministry,  no  sacraments." 
In  perfect  keeping  with  the  above  pharisaic  languaixc,  are  the 
otficial  reports  of  some  of  the  diocesan  "successors."  When 
describing  their  visits  to  certain  places,  they  speak  of  the  p]pis- 
copal  "  Church,"  the  "  Presbyterian  meeting-hous(>,"  the  "  Bap- 
tist liouse  of  worship,"  the  "  Metiiodist  chapel,"  &c.  Hence, 
also,  while  they  gladly  avail  themselves,  in  cases  of  necessity 
of  the  proU'ered  use  of  these  "  meeting-houses"  and  "  places  of 
worship,"  tli(!y  never  are  known  to  reciprocate  the  favor,  by 
inviting  clergymen  of  other  denominations  to  the  use  of  their 
"  clnirches." 

7th.  A  lordly  liierarchy,  in  its  legitimate  consequences,  en- 
dangers the  stability  and  perpetuity  of  rej)ublican  institutions. 
James  I.  of  England,  with  a  greater  knowledge  of  human  na- 
ture tlian  is  generally  ascribed  to  him,  wittily  s;iid,  "  No  Bishop, 
no  King."  That  is,  "  Without  bishoj.s,  monarchy  cannot  ex- 
ist." The  truth  of  this  remark  has  been  exemplitied  in  every 
age,  proving  that  it  requires  the  aid  of  an  aristocratic  order  of 
the  clergy,  to  sustain  the  pillars  of  a  moiiarch's  throne ;  and 
that  without  such  aid  and  support,  monarchies  cannot  exist. 
But  the  above  saying  of  the  king  might  very  well  be  reversed, 
"No  King,  no  liishoj),"  understanding  the  latter  term  iti  the 
same  sense  as  it  is  used  by  "apostolic"  pretenders.  Who  does 
not  see,  that,  under  the  p\n'e  and  genial  influences  of  repub- 
lican institutions,  the  high  claims  before  alluded  to,  never  have 
been,  and  never  can  b(j  yielded  to,  l)y  a  free  and  sovereign 
people  ?  And  although  diocesan  prelates  may  ostentatiously 
style  themselves  "  l)islu)p  of  New  York,"  '•  liishop  of  New 
Jersey,"  "  JJishop  of  Maryland,"  and  may  renew  their  etlorts  to 
have  the  few  thousands  of  their  Israel  dignified  with  the  name 
of  the  "(.'hurch  of  the  United  States,"  yet  it  will  be  many  long 
years,  we  trust,  before  their  aml)ition  is  gratitiud,  by  the  con- 
sent of  the  mass  of  the  population.  When  such  consent  is 
given  to  these  exclusive  claims,  then  farewell  to  rei)ublicanisra, 
liberty,  and  happiness. 


I  '       ii 


li 


aiii!    dill 


!  mm 
'  mm] 


m 
i 


I 


i 


1!  ,     1(1 


■1|| 

i 

.1 


1 

4 


liii 

■A 


lif 


IN  r!f 


254 


EPISCOPAL    METHODISM. 


8tli.  Wc  object,  finally,  to  tlicse  claims,  that  they  trifle  with 
the  interests  of  the  souls  of  men ;  basincj,  as  they  do,  the  sal- 
vation of  the  soul  upon  a  connection  with  a  church  in  which 
the  "succession"  is  found;  while  they  deny  em|)hatically  the 
scriptural  doctrine  of  regeneration,  anil  the  necessity  of  "  holi- 
ness, without  which  no  man  shall  see  the  Lord  ;"  and  that 
while  they  "  tithe  mint  and  cummin,"  and  insist  on  the  neces- 
sity of  a  "regular  succession,"  they  neglect  the  "weightier 
matters  of  the  law,  judguKMit,  mercy,  and  faith." 

These  objtjctions  are  lu-ged,  not  against  the  Kpisropal  Church 
as  such,  but  simply  against  the  unwarrantable  j)n'tensions  of  a 
portion  of  said  church,  who  stigmatize  all  others  as  heretics, 
schismatics,  and  heathen. 

Having  thus  examined  the  claims  of  those  who  "say  they 
are  apostles,"  or  the  exclusive  descendants  and  successors  of 
the  apostles;  having  "tried"  them,  and  proved  that  they  "are 
not"  what  tlicy  profess  to  Ik;  ;  having  shown  that  these  preten- 
sions are  not  well  founded,  it  will  be  utmecessary  to  remind  the 
reader,  that  we  have  brought  no  railing  accusation  against  the 
pjiglish  or  American  Episcoi)al  Churches.  We  have  not  at- 
tem])ted  to  deny  their  position  as  important  branches  of  the 
Churcii  of  Christ.  We  have  not  called  in  <[uestion  the  piety 
or  learning  of  their  ministers;  we  say  nothing  against  their 
form  (jf  chinch  government,  however  much  we  may  differ  from 
thcTn  in  opinion  on  this  point;  we  have  not  assailed  their  doc- 
trines and  liturgy ;  we  have  not  refused  to  acknowledge  them 
as  true  successors  of  the  apostles  ;  we  have  said  not  a  word 
against  their  rites  and  ceremonies  ;  we  have  not  whispered  a 
syllable  against  their  priestly  robes  or  episcopal  vestments ;  on 
every  one  of  these  points,  we  probably  differ  from  them  in 
opinion ;  but  still,  in  regard  to  such  secondary  in;itters,  our 
motto  is,  "  Live,  and  let  live."  Our  only  object  has  l)een  to 
show  the  folly  of  claiming  an  crcltislve  right  to  tlie  kingdom 
of  God,  by  virtue  of  a  mysterious  episcopal  unction,  handed 
down  from  generation  to  generation.     What  we  have  written 


ORIGIN    OF    MEiriODIST    KI'ISCOI'ACY. 


255 


has  been  merely  on  the  defensive.  If  higli  church  episcopa- 
H.iiis  will  not  unchurch  us,  we  certainly  shall  not  try  to  un- 
church them ;  and  even  if  they  will  persist  in  their  wholesale 
denunciations,  we  can  but  pity,  and  pray  for  them ;  knowing, 
as  we  do,  that  it  is  not  the  imposition  of  a  bishop's  hands  that 
will  prepare  the  soul  of  eitlu^r  minister  or  lay  member  for 
heaven,  but  "  that,  in  every  nation,  he  that  feareth  God  and 
worketh  righteousness,  is  accepted  with  him;"  and  that  "  not 
every  one  that  saitli.  Lord,  Lord  !  shall  enter  into  the  kingdom 
of  heaven  ;  but  he  that  doeth  the  will  of  my  Father  which  is 
in  heav(in." 

We  will  close  this  section  by  adoptini:,  the  beautiful  language 
of  the  e[)iscopal  liturgy,  which  1  would  to  God  were  written 
on  the  tablets  of  the  hearts  of  those  who  so  frequently  re- 
peat it : — 

"From  all  blin(hiess  of  heart;  from  pride,  vain-glory,  and 
hypocrisy  ;  from  envy,  hatred,  and  malice,  and  all  uncharita- 
bleness  : 

"  Good  Lord  deliver  us." 

Amen. 
SECTION  IV. 


OHKJIN    OV    MKTiiODIST    lil'lSCd'ACY,  itC. 

In  the  two  former  sections  we  have  attempted  to  show  the 
absurdity  of  the  claims  of  the  high  churchmen  in  rolati(^n  to  an 
uninterrupted  succession  from  the  apostles.  The  object  of  the 
present  section  is  to  show  the  origin  and  scriptural  character  of 
the  superintendency  of  tlx;  Methodist  Episcopal  Cluu'cli. 

We  have  more  than  once  asserted  in  this  work,  that  .lohn 
Wesley  was,  under  (rod,  the  father  and  founder  of  Metliodism. 
]^y  referring  to  I)Ook  I.  of  this  work,  the  reader  will  learn  that 
the  rise  of  Methodism  in  America  in  1^66,  was  owiuj  to  the 
indefatigable  exertions  of  a  few  local  )>reachers,  who,  having 
emigrated    from  Europe,  introduced    the   doctrines   and    cus- 


•I'     I 


Si     >f 


256 


KT'l.SCOrAI,    MKTUODISM. 


liilil 


>:m 


m"  n 


A 


toins  of  McUiodism  into  America;  that  vvlion  the  Societies  and 
monibers  bocanie  more  niimeron*-,  Mr.  Wesley  sent  over  a 
number  of  regiilar  tmvt'llinf^  preacliers  ;  tliat  tliroui^li  tlie  hi 
bors  of  the;  latter,  the  cause  continued  to  spread  and  grow,  even 
amidst  all  the  excitement  of  the  war  of  tlie  revolution  ;  so  that 
at  the  dose  thereof,  it  was  found  that  a  large  increase  iiad 
been  made  during  the  continuance  of  hostilities.  Wo  have 
also  adverted  to  the  fact,  that  in  1V84,  Mr.  Wesley  provided  a 
superintendency,  or  ejnscopacy,  for  his  Societies  in  America. 
As,  however,  the  episcopacy  of  tlie  Methodist  Church  has  been 
violently  assailed,  not  only  by  the  successionists  before  allud(!d 
to,  but  by  non-episcopal  writers  and  divines,  it  seems  necessary 
to  make  a  few  additional  remarks  in  the  ])rescnt  section,  in  re- 
lation to  its  origin  and  true  character. 

As  stated  in  the  first  section  of  this  book,  not  only  non-epis- 
copal writers  have  denied  the  intention  of  Mr.  Wesley  to  estab- 
lish an  Ej)iKC(>pal  form  of  church  government  in  America,  but 
by  at  least  one  Methodist  Kj»iscopal  writer,  the  same  denial  has 
been  exjiressed.  The  ])roof  furnished  by  such  persons  is  usu- 
ally the  celebrated  and  often-quoted  letter  of  Mr.  Wesley  to 
T3ishop  Asbury,  a  co})y  of  which  we  prefer  to  give  the  reader, 
that  he  may  judge  of  its  contents,  and  of  the  validity  of  the 
objections  founded  on  the  same. 

"  To  TiiE  IiEV.  FiiANCis  AsnuuY  : 

''London,  Sept.  20,  1788. 

"  There  is  indeed  a  wide  diflerence  between  the  relation 
wherein  you  stand  to  the  Americans,  and  the  relation  wherein 
I  stand  to  all  the  Methodists  :  I  ;im,  under  God,  the  father  of 
the  whole  family.  Therefore  1  naturally  care  for  you  all,  in  a 
manner  no  other  pcrstni  can  do.  Therefore  F,  in  a  measure, 
provide  for  you  all :  for  the  supplies  which  Dr.  Coke  provides 
for  you,  he  would  not  provide,  were  it  not  for  me — were  it  not 
that  I  not  only  permit  him  to  collect,  but  also  support  him  in 
Bo  doing. 


.y^ 


ir 


WKSLICy'S    LKlTKIt    TO    IHSIIUI'    AaUUKY. 


257 


|tios  and 
over  a 
tlif  la 

|)\v,  cvon 

so  that 

("ase  had 

'o  have 

f)vi(l('d  a 

inicrioa. 

lias  been 


"  But  in  one  point,  my  dear  brothcn-,  I  am  a  little  afraid  both 
ro\i  and  the  doctor  diller  from  me — I  study  to  be  littb: — you 
study  to  be  (jnal :  1  ore/) — you  strut  aloiii;.  J  found  a  nchool 
— y(»u  a  collciH' ! — nay,  and  call  it  after  ycnir  own  names.  O, 
beware;  !  do  not  seek  to  bo  somethiri;^.  Let  me  be  nothing, 
and  'Christ  be  all  in  all.' 

"  One  instance  of  this  your  greatness^  has  given  me  great 
concern,  ilow  can  you — how  dare  you  sutler  yoursi-lf  to  bo 
called  a  hisJiDp  ?  I  shudder  and  start  at  the  very  thought ! 
Men  may  call  me  a  knave,  and  a  fool,  a  rascal,  a  scoundrel,  and 
I  am  content :  but  they  shall  never,  by  \r\y  consent,  call  me  a 
hisho/).  Vov  my  sake,  for  (Jod's  sake,  for  Christ's  sake,  j)ut  a 
full  end  to  this.  Let  the  Presbyterians  do  what  they  please — 
but  let  the  Methodists  know  their  calling  better, 

"Thus,  my  dear  l^'ranky,  I  have  told  you  all  that  is  in  my 
heart :  and  let  this,  when  f  am  no  mon;  seen,  bear  witness 
how  sincerely  I  am  your  alK  olionate  friend  and  brother, 

"J.   AVkslky." 


^■^ 


To  understand  the  full  force  and  meaning  of  the  above  let- 
ter, it  is  necessary  to  take  into  consideration  the  occasicjn  which 
called  for  its  being  written,  it  will  Ix;  remembered  by  the 
read'jr,  that  when  Dr.  Coke  was  ordained  to  the  superintendency 
of  tlie  Methodist  Lpiscoj>al  Church  by  Mr.  Wesley  himself,  the 
latter  directed   him   to  set  a[)art  Francis  Asbury  to  the  same 

s.  in  an  emnhatic  sense,  the  apostle  of 


'■y 


American   Methodism,  and  had,  many  years  before  his  ordina- 
tion as  bishop,  been  ajipointed  by  Mr.  Wesley  as  his  (Jeneral 


issistaiit  in    Atnerica. 


II 


e    wa- 


lowever,  supersiM 


led 


jy 


th 


ore  ('Xi)criencec 


Rjipointment  of  Mr.  llankin,  an  older  and  m 
preacher,  who  being  sent  to  America  by  Mr.  ^V^'sley,  was  ap- 
pointed General  Assistant  in  the  place  of  Mr.  Asbury.  'i  his  a[)- 
pointment  does  not  appear  to  h; 


ive  mven  very  u'eneral  satisiac- 
tion  to  the  preachers  or  people  in  America,  inasmuch  as  they 
supposed  that  Mr.  Asbury,  from  his   long  residence  among 


f  ' 

■  ■  i 


2.^8 


EJ'iaCOJ'AI,    MKTHOUISM. 


them,  was  tlin  ht'ttcr  ({Uiilifiud  df'  tha  two  tor  the  oflico  of  supcr- 
iiit<!ii(loiit.  Tliis  opinion  of  tlit!  people  was  well  known  ti;  .Mr. 
Rankin,  and  may  account,  in  part,  for  liis  rather  short  stay  in 
America.  Upon  his  return  to  Kn^iand,  Mr.  Asbury  was  again 
invested  with  the  honors  and  responsibilities  of  the  (JeiiLTal 
Superinteiideney.  It  was  quite  natural  that  Mr.  liankin,  under 
these  circu?nstances,  should  view  Mr.  Asljury  somewhat  in  the 
hght  of  a  rival,  and  that,  heiiii^  j)rejudieed  aj^ainst  him,  he 
should,  after  his  arrival  in  l*jii,dand,  so  far  ()])erate  upon  thu 
mind  of  Mr.  Wesley,  as  to  induce  the  fear  that  Mr.  Asbury  wa^ 
an  ambitious  and  asi)iring  man.  it  is  evident,  however,  from 
the  subse(iuent  aj)pointment  of  Mr.  Aslniry  l)y  Mr.  Wesley, 
that  whatever  fears  the  latter  might,  have;  indulged  in,  tli.-y 
l)ad  greatly  subsided  ;  so  much  so,  that  Mr.  Asbury  was  ciiti 
tied  to  his  fullest  conlidence,  as  a  man,  and  Christian  minister. 
Hence,  in  acconhmce  with  the  wishes  of  the  American  preach- 
ers and  people,  that  under  any  system  of  ecclesiastical  govern- 
ment which  Mr.  Wesley  might  provide  for  his  Soeietit^s  in 
America,  Mr.  Asbury  might  be  placed  at  the  head  of  aftiiirs, 
provision  was  made  by  the  former  to  elevate  the  hitter  to  tlie 
joint  superinteiideney  of  the  church  that  was  soon  to  be  organ- 
ized by  his  agent  Doctor  C(jke.  After  the  said  organization 
had  taken  place,  and  Mr.  Asbury  liad  become  a  joint  superin- 
tendent, tlie  American  ])reachers,  aware  that  Mr.  Wesley  had 
intended  tlie  organization  of  an  Episcopal  Church,  in  the  i)roper 
sense  of  that  word,  and  if  so,  that  the  title  bishop  was  more 
scriptural  and  expressive  than  that  of  superintendent,  began  to 
employ  the  former  term  in  their  addresses  to  those  who  filled 
that  oHice,  and  the  latter,  in  accordance  with  the  expressed 
wishes  of  the  people,  allowed  themselves  to  bo  addressed  by 
that  title. 

The  assunij)tion  of  the  title  bishop,  re-awakened  the  fears  in 
which  Mr.  W\'sley  had  before  indulged  in  reference  to  Mr.  As- 
'jury's  ambition.  He,  being  accustomed  from  early  life  to  asso- 
ciate with  the  title  bishop  all  that  is  pompous  and  splendid — 


WESLKY  S    CREDHNTIALS    TO    l)H.    COKK 


SAD 


i<»f  super- 

vn  to  Mr. 

I't.  sl;iv  in 

has  again 

(ieiltTill 

ill,  undtT 
liat  ill  tlio 
liini,  lie 
uj)on  tim 
l)ury  was, 
vcr,  from 
.  \\\.sl.y, 
ill,  tlicy 
was  ciiti 
niiiiister. 
II  ])r{'ac'Ii- 
goveni- 
cictics   in 
of  aiiiiirs, 
ter  to  the 
bo  organ- 
janization 
t  supc'iin- 
.'sley  liad 
lie  proper 
vas  more 
began  to 
vho  111  led 
.'xpresscd 
I'essed  by 

[!  fears  in 
i  Mr.  As- 
i  to  asso- 
lendid — 


all  that  is  costly  and  aristocratic,  and  having  been  inlbrtned 
that  Mr.  AslMiry  had  become  aml)itious,  and  was  thirsting  for 
dominion,  and  tiiat  h"  (^onld  not  bear  an  cipial,  ito.  tfec,  all  of 
which  charges  U'csre  tle^  oH'spring  o'.'  j'-alousy  and  disappointed 
iiiibilioM  on  the  part  of  a  rival,  led  .Mr.  W'.slcy  to  bcliine  that 
rc|)roor  had  in  fact  bc(.-omi!  necessary,  and  hciici'  the  letter 
above  (piloted,  from  v/hieh  the  opponents  of  Methodist  ]']j)".seo- 
p;i.cy  have  drawn  the  f(jllowing  coiichisions.  (I.)  That  Mr. 
AVislcy  did  not  design  the  establisjimmt  of  a  Mt!tho(list  J^Jjjis- 
cdjxil  (Jhurch  in  America.     (_'.)  That  he  did  not  int'-nd  that 


1  )r.  Cok 


ike  and  Mr.  Asbury  should  be;,  in  any  sense  whatever, 
bishops  of  the  chnreii  which  he  authorized  the  former  to  organ- 
ize. '\n  examination  of  th(.'se  two  points  will  therefore  demand 
attention. 

On  the  second  (hvy  of  Sejttember,  I  784,  >[r.  Wesley — having 
liad  the  condition  of  his  Ami.'riean  Societies  under  consideration 
for  a  length  of  lime,  jind  believing  it  to  be  his  imj)erative  duty 
to  j)rovide  the  ministry  and  sacraments  for  these  "  sheep  in  the 
wilderness," — associated  with  hims<'lf  l)r.  (,\)ke  and  the  Rev. 
Mr.  (Jn'ighton,  both  of  whom,  like  himself,  were  presbyters  of 
the  Church  of  England,  and  pinecedcd  to  ordain  Thoiiicas 
Vasey  and  Kichard  Whatcoat  to  the  office  of  elders  or  presby- 
ters in  the  church  of  God  ;  and  then,  b(,'ing  assisted  by  Mr. 
Creighton  and  the  two  newly  ordained  presbyters,  -^  .oceeded  to 
ordain  Vr.  Coke  to  the  office  of  Superintendent  of  the  Methodist 
Societies  in  America,  and  gave  him  the  following  credentials  : — 

• 

"  1o  all  to  whom  those  presents  sli.ll  come,  John  Wesley,  late 
Fellow  of  Lincoln  College  in  Oxt'op],  Presbyter  of  th(>  (."liurch 
of  Kngland,  sendeth  greeting  : 


W 


Kjreas  many  o 


f  th 


pool 


■lie  1 


n  tl 


le  soutnern 


th 


pr 


ovmc 


;es  of 


North  America,  who  dijsire  to  continue  under  my  care,  and  still 
adhere  to  the  doctrine  and  di^:cip!ine  of  the  Church  of  England, 
are  greatly  distressed  for  w;int  of  ministers  to  administer  the 
sacianients  of  baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper,  according  to  the 


it  ''^i 

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TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


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33  WIST  MAIN  STREfT 

WIUTiR.N.Y.  145M 

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EPISCOPAL    MRTHODTSM. 


usage  of  the  same  church  ;  and  whereas  there  does  not  appear 
to  be  any  otlier  way  of  supplying  them  with  ministers  : — 

"  Know  all  men,  that  /,  John  Wesley,  think  myself  to  be 
providentially  called,  at  this  time,  to  set  apart  some  persons 
for  the  work  of  the  ministry  in  America.  And  therefore,  un- 
der the  protection  of  Almighty  God,  and  with  a  single  eye  to 
his  glory,  I  have  this  day  set  apart  as  a  superintendent,  by  the 
imposition  of  my  hands  and  prayer  (being  assisted  by  other 
ordained  ministers),  Thomas  Coke,  doctor  of  civil  law,  a  pres- 
byter of  the  Church  of  England,  and  a  man  whom  I  judge  to 
be  well  qualified  for  that  great  work.  And  I  do  hereby  rec- 
ommend him  to  all  whom  it  may  concern,  as  a  fit  person  to 
preside  over  the  flock  of  Christ. 

"  In  testimony  whereof,  I  have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and 
seal,  this  second  day  of  September,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord 
one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  eighty-four. 

"John  Wesley." 

In  examining  the  above  testimonial  of  Dr.  Coke's  ordination, 
the  reader  will  observe,  that  one  of  Mr.  Wesley's  declared  rea- 
sons for  the  same,  is,  that  his  people  in  North  America  "still 
adhere  to  the  doctrines  and  discipline  of  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land." Now,  the  inquiry  naturally  arises,  whether,  in  view  of 
such  adherence  on  the  part  of  the  Americans  to  the  discipline 
of  the  Church  of  England,  and  especially  in  view  of  the  fact, 
that  Mr.  Wesley  gives  such  adherence  as  a  reason  for  his  acts 
in  the  premises,  he  would  have  entailed  upon  his  children  a 
form  of  church  government  as  unlike  the  form  of  the  Church 
of  England  as  it  was  possible  to  make  it,  if  so  be  that  he  in- 
tended a  Presbyterian,  a  Congregational,  or  any  other  non- 
episcopal  form  ?  The  only  reasonable  answer  is,  that  such 
being  the  desire  of  the  Americans  to  adhere  to  the  discipline 
of  the  Church  of  England,  Mr.  Wesley  was  disposed  to  meet 
that  desire  in  the  best  wiiy  he  possibly  could,  by  giving  them 
a  form  of  ecclesiiiatical  government,  as  nearly  like  that  of  the. 
Church  of  England,  as  circumstances  would  admit  of.     B#r 


V.K 


4 


I^WP 


i^lmi 


wmmmm 


WEST.EY'S    letter    to    METHODISTS    IN    AMERICA.  261 


the  purpose  of  throwing  still  farther  light  on  this  subject,  we 
will  also  favor  the  reader  with  the  hotter  winch  Mr.  Wesley 
gave  to  Dr.  Coke  for  the  brethren  in  America,  and  which  he 
wished  the  doctor  to  publish  as  extensively  as  possible  on  his 
arrival : — 

^^  Bristol,  September  10,  V.64. 

"To  Dr.  Coke,  Mr.  Asbury,  and  our  brethren  in  North 
America. 

"  By  a  very  uncommon  train  of  providences,  many  of  the 
provinces  of  North  America  are  totally  disjoined  from  the 
mother  country,  and  erected  into  independent  states.  The 
English  ijoverninmt  has  no  authority  over  them,  either  civil  or 
ecclesiastical,  any  more  than  over  the  States  of  Holland.  A 
civil  authority  is  exercised  over  tliem,  partly  by  the  Congress, 
partly  by  the  provincial  assemblies.  But  no  one  either  claims 
or  exercises  any  ecclesiastical  authority  at  all.  In  this  peculiar 
situation,  thousands  of  the  inhabitants  of  these  States  desire 
my  advice  ;  and  in  compliance  with  their  desire  I  have  diawn 
up  a  little  sketch.  Lord  King's  Account  of  the  Primitive 
Church  convinced  me,  many  years  ago,  that  bishops  and  pres- 
byters are  the  same  order,  ancj  consequently  have  the  same 
right  to  ordain.  For  many  years  I  have  been  importuned, 
from  time  to  time,  to  exercise  this  right,  by  ordaining  part  of 
our  travelling  preachers.  But  I  have  still  refused,  not  only  for 
peace'  sake,  but  because  I  was  determined  as  little  as  possible 
to  violate  the  established  order  of  the  national  church,  to  which 
I  belonged. 

"But  the  case  is  widely  different  between  England  and 
North  America.  Here  there  are  bishops  who  have  a  legal 
jurisdiction.  In  America  there  are  none,  neither  any  parish 
ministers ;  so  that,  for  some  hundreds  of  miles  together,  there 
is  none  either  to  baptize  or  to  administer  the  Lord's  Supper. 
Here,  therefore,  my  scruples  wore  at  an  end  ;  and  I  conceive 
myself  at  full  liberty,  as  I  violate  no  order,  and  invade  no 
nHtn's  right,  by  appointing  and  sending  laborers  into  the  harvest. 


262 


EPISCOPAL    METHODISM. 


"  I  have  accordingly  appointed  Dr.  Coke  and  Mr.  Franci;* 
Asbury  to  be  joint  sii[)t'rintendents  over  our  brethren  in  North 
America;  as  also  Richard  Whatcoat  and  Thomas  Vasey,  to 
act  as  elders  among  them,  by  baptizing  and  administering  the 
Lord's  supper.  And  I  have  prepared  a  liturgy  little  ditt'ering 
from  that  of  the  Church  of  England  (I  think  the  best  consti- 
tuted national  church  in  the  world),  which  I  advise  all  tlie 
travelling  preachers  to  use  on  the  Lord's  day,  in  all  the  con- 
gregations, reading  the  litany  only  on  Wednesdays  and  Fri- 
days, and  praying  extempore  on  all  other  days.  I  advise,  also, 
the  elders  to  administer  the  supper  of  the  Lord,  on  every 
Lord's  day. 

"  If  any  one  will  point  out  a  more  rational  and  scriptural 
way  of  feeding  and  guiding  these  poor  sheep  in  the  wilderness, 
I  will  gladly  embrace  it.  At  present,  I  cannot  see  any  better 
method  than  ihat  I  have  taken. 

"It  has,  indeed,  been  proposed  to  desire  the  English  bishops 
to  ordain  part  of  our  preachers  for  America.  Hut  to  this  I 
object:  L  I  desired  the  bishop  of  London  to  ordain  one,  but 
could  not  prevail.  2.  If  they  consented,  we  know  the  slow- 
ness of  their  proceedings ;  but  the  matter  admits  of  no  delay. 
3.  If  they  were  to  ordain  them  pow,  they  would  expect  to 
govern  them  hereafter.  And  how  grievously  would  this  en- 
tangle us !  4.  As  our  American  brethren  are  totally  disen- 
tangled both  from  the  state  and  the  English  hierarchy,  we 
dare  not  entangle  them  again,  either  with  the  one  or  the  other. 
They  are  now  at  full  liberty,  simply  to  follow  the  Scriptures 
and  the  primitive  church.  And  we  judge  it  best  that  they 
should  stand  ftist  in  that  liberty  wherewith  God  has  so  strangely 
made  them  free.  Johv  Wesley." 

This  letter  proves:  (1.)  That  the  office  to  which  Dr.  Coke 
had  been  ordained,  and  Mr.  Asbury  had  been  appointed  by 
Mr.  Wesley,  was  superior  to  the  office  of  a  presbyter  or  elder ; 
else  why  ordain  Dr.  Coke,  when   he  had  been  for  years  in- 


.,f 


i\- 


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tmrnm 


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THE    TERM    "  BISHOP." 


263 


^i^ 


*<i 


■  .1: 


fim^ 


^^ 


vested  with  full  presbyterial  powers  by  the  Church  of  England  ? 
(Jn  a  contrary  view  of  the  case,  the  ordination  of  the  doctor 
by  Mr.  Wesley  must  have  been  a  mere  farce  got  up  for  the 
occasion.  (2.)  The  letter  proves  that  Mr.  Wesley  esteemed 
the  liturgy  of  the  Church  of  England  above  any  other  form  of 
service  ;  and  that,  in  providing  for  the  wants  of  an  infant  con- 
nection, he,  in  fact,  prepared  the  same  for  tJie  worship  and 
government  of  said  connection.  (3.)  The  "  Liturgy" — or  Sun- 
day Service,  as  it  is  sometimes  called — thus  prepared  by  Mr. 
Wesley,  contained  three  distinct  services  of  ordination,  namely, 
for  deacons,  elders,  und  superintendents ;  and  to  suppose  that 
he  would  thus  provide  for  the  three-fold  consecration  of  the 
highest  officers  of  the  church  ;  and  yet  not  intend  Uie  exist- 
ence of  such  an  office  as  the  episcopate,  either  in  name  or  fact, 
is  a  supposition  at  once  so  absurd  fis  scarcely  to  demand  notice. 
If,  however,  it  be  objected,  that  Mr.  Wesley  did  not  use  the 
term  bishop  in  said  liturgy,  but  the  term  superintendent,  and 
therefore  he  could  not  mean  bishop ;  we  have  only  to  reply, 
that  both  the  terms  mean  one  and  the  same  thing — an  overseer  ; 
and  that  if  the  fact  of  his  dropping  the  use  of  the  name  bishop, 
is  evidence  that  he  disapproved  of  the  office  in  the  American 
Church,  so  the  erasure  of  the  term  2V'esbyter,  or  its  contrac- 
tion priest,  from  his  liturgy,  and  the  substitution  of  the  word 
elder,  is  evidence  that  he  disapproved  of  the  office  of  a  presby- 
ter in  the  same  church  ;  and  yet  nothing  is  more  certain  than 
that  he  provided  for  the  latter  office. 

It  is  true  that  Mr.  Wesley  disliked  the  use  of  the  term  pres- 
byter, when  applied  to  his  preachers,  and  for  the  same  reason 
he  disapproved  of  the  use  of  the  term  bishop,  when  rpplied  to 
the  General  Superintendents  of  the  Methodist  Church.  He 
also  disliked  the  use  of  the  term  College,  as  applied  to  a 
Methodist  literary  institution,  and  preferred  the  less  pretending 
name  of  School ;  but  can  we  from  these  facts  infer  that  John 
Wesley — himself  a  presbyter — did  not  believe  in  the  office  of 
a  presbyter  ?  or  that  he  did  not  believe  in  the  utility  or  law- 


204 


EPISCOI'AL    METHODISM. 


fulness  of  colle  c!s  ?  The  idea  is  perfectly  preposterous.  The 
fact  is,  that  Mr.  Wesley  was  opposed  to  the  application  of  the 
terms  bishop  and  presbyter  to  his  ministers  in  America,  while 
he  was  more  than  willing  that  they  should  fill  the  offices  des- 
ignated by  such  titles,  under  the  more  unassuming  names  of 
superintendent  and  elder.  This,  however,  was  a  mere  matter 
of  scrupulous  taste  with  Mr.  Wesley,  rather  than  anything  else 
— a  fault,  if  fault  it  was,  which  certainly  may  well  be  forgiven 
him,  in  view  of  the  gross  abuses  of  the  titles  and  ofiices  by- 
some  of  the  dignitaries  of  the  Romish  Church,  and  her  daugh- 
ter, the  Church  of  England. 

Let  it  be  remembered,  too,  as  stated  in  Section  T.  of  this 
chapter,  that  the  Methodist  Church  in  the  United  States  had 
been  organized  as  an  Episcopal  Church  for  more  than  six  years 
prior  to  the  death  of  Mr.  Wesley  ;  that  the  minutes  of  the  con- 
ference which  organized  tlie  church  as  an  Episcopal  church,  to- 
gether with  all  the  facts  and  circumstances,  were  well  known  to 
him,  and  submitted  to  him  for  his  approval  by  Dr.  Cuke  ;  and 
that  not  a  single  word  of  disapprobation,  either  in  reference  to 
the  Doctor's  action  in  the  premises,  or  to  the  name  and  title  of 
the  church,  was  spoken  or  written  by  Mr.  Wesley,  and  we  have 
proof  of  the  most  convincing  character,  that  Mr.  Wesley  did 
design  our  form  of  church  government  to  be  Episcopalian; 
and  that  the  fathers  and  founders  of  our  church  polity,  did  not 
deceive,  when  they  proclaimed  upon  the  page  of  the  Book  of 
Discipline,  that  Mr.  Wesley,  "  preferring  the  Episcopal  mode 
of  church  government  to  any  other,  solemnly  set  apart  Thomas 
Coke  for  the  Episcopal  office,  and  directed  hira  to  set  apart 
Fvancis  Asbury  for  the  same  office."  These,  then,  being  facts> 
we  are  prepared  to  claim  John  Wesley  as  the  originator  of 
American  Episcopal  Methodism. 

But  aside  from  these  considerations,  we  claim  that  even  if 
Mr.  Wesley  had  not  provided  an  Episcopal  form  of  govern- 
ment for  the  American  Methodists,  the  latter,  when  constituted 
an  independent  church,  had  a  scriptural  right  to  choose  such  a 


m 


/m 


RIGHT  OF  CHURCHES  TO  CHOOSE  THEIR  OWN  FORMS.       2G5 


^j-. 


form  of  government  as  wjvs  best  suited  to  their  circumstances 
and  condition.  If  it  is  a  fact,  according  to  the  XXXIV,  Arti- 
cle of  the  Church  of  li^ngland,  and  the  Protestant  Episcopal 
Church  in  AniL-rica,  that  "  Every  particular  or  national  church, 
hath  authority  to  ordain,  change,  and  abolish  ceremonies  or 
rites  of  the  cliurcl:,  ordained  only  by  man's  authority,  so  that 
all  things  be  done  to  edifying."  If  it  is  a  fact,  in  the  language 
of  the  same  Article,  that  "  It  is  not  necossarv  that  traditions 
and  ceremonies  be  in  all  places  one,  or  utterly  alike ;  for  at  ail 
times  they  have  betn  divers,  and  may  be  changed  according  to 
the  diversity  of  countries,  times,  and  men's  manners,  so  that 
nothing  be  ordained  against  God's  word  ;"  if,  we  repeat  it, 
these  are  facts,  then  had  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  a 
scriptural,  and  even  canonical  right  to  ordain  such  rites  and 
ceremonies  as  seemed  good  to  her.  We  say  she  had  a  canon- 
ical right  to  do  so ;  that  i<,  allowing  that  before  her  independ- 
ence she  was  considered  an  integral  part  of  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land, the  3-4th  Article  of  that  church  gave  her  the  right  to  or- 
dain, change,  and  abolish  such  ceremonies  and  rites  as  had 
been  ordained  by  merely  human  authority. 

That  the  terms  "  rites,"  "  traditions,"  and  "  ceremonies,''  do 
not  mean  merely  the  form  of  church  service,  which  a  church 
at  its  pleasure  may  adopt,  i.s  evidt^nt  from  the  fact  tliat  the 
same  Article  asserts  that  he  who  dotli  purposely  and  openly 
break  the  same,  through  private  judgment,  oftends  against  the 
common  order  of  the  church,  and  "  hurteth  the  authority  of  the 
magistrate."  Now  it  cannot  be  supposed  that  a  mere  devia- 
tion on  the  part  of  an  individual  from  *he  proscribed  form  of 
church  service,  would  be  hurtful  to  the  authority  of  the  magis- 
trate, for,  1st,  the  magi-^trate  has  no  scriptural  authority  in  the 
matte.'  whatsoever,  and  2dly,  it  would  be  beneath  the  dignity 
of  tli<!  subject  to  suppose  th;.t  the  Article  refers  to  the  authority 
of  the  magistrate  to  prescribe  how  many  and  what  prayen  a 
man  shall  repeat  in  his  attempts  to  worship  God.  The  o..!y 
reasonable  meaning  which  can  be  attached  to  this  language  la, 


206 


KPISCOPAL    MKTHODISM. 


that  when,  by  common  authority,  a  certain  form  of  ecclesitisti- 
cal  government  is  estublished  in  any  church,  noin(li\idual  may, 
of  his  own  private  judgment,  purposely  viuhite  the  rules  and 
requirements  of  such  estaWislied  order  of  things,  while  a  body 
of  Christians  living  in  a  foreign  land,  and  suhject  to  no  ecclesi- 
astical jurisdiction  whatsoever,  may  "  ordain,  change  and  abol- 
ish" such  usages  and  forms  as  they  please.  To  illustrate  this 
point  clearly  :  had  Mr.  Wesley  ordained  ministers  for  the 
Church  of  Enrjland.  he  would  have  been  a  transt>;ressor  of  the 
doctrine  taught  in  the  Article.  Uad  he  made  the  attempt  to 
ordain  Dr.  Coke  as  a  bishop  of  the  establishment,  he  would 
have  exposed  himself  to  the  open  rebuke  of  his  ecclesiastical 
superiors.  But  Mr.  Wesley  attemj»ted  no  such  thing.  He 
simply  made  provision  for  the  proper  organization  of  an  inde- 
pendent foreign  church,  and  that  church,  availing  itself  of  the 
privilege  given  to  establish  itself  on  any  basis  it  chose,  adopted 
such  a  mode  of  government  as  the  exigencies  of  the  case  de- 
manded, and  the  above  Article  allowed.  It  should  be  remem- 
bered, too,  that  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was  duly  or- 
ganized, while  as  yet  there  was  no  other  independent  Protes- 
tant Episcopal  Church  in  America,  the  body  of  Christians  now 
bearing  that  name  not  having  been  duly  organized,  till  several 
years  after  the  Methodist  Church  had  been  in  being,  and  was 
known  and  acknowledged  by  the  civil  authorities  of  the  nation 
as  an  independent  ecclesiastical  body,  having  it-,  own  bishops, 
its  own  ministry,  its  own  membership,  and  all  other  things 
requisite  to  its  proper  organization.  So  far,  then,  as  authority 
could  be  given  by  the  Articles  of  Religion  of  the  Church  of 
England,  the  organization  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
was  not  only  scriptural,  but  canonical. 


i 


.-SI 


■PI"P 


"WW 


^^i^w^^»^^ 


FORMS    OF    CHURCH    OOVERNMENT. 


261 


SECTION  V. 


. 


J 


ADVANTAGES  OF  THE    METHODIST   EPISCOPAL    FORM  OF  CHURCH 
GOVERNMENT    WHEN    COMPARED    WITH    OTHER    FORMS. 

Gover?;ment  of  some  kind  is  as  necessary  for  the  church  of 
God,  as  it  is  essential  for  nations.  There  are  different  forms  of 
civil  government — as  an  absolute,  or  limited  monarchy  ;  an 
aristocracy,  a  democracy  ;  a  republic,  &c.  (kc.  The  great  ob- 
ject of  a  good  government  is,  to  unite,  if  possible,  the  three 
qualities  of  strength,  permanency,  and  protection.  These  will 
require  a  good  foundation,  a  proper  structure,  and  an  efficient 
executive.  An  absolute  monarchy  is  admitted  to  be  the  stronir- 
est  kind  of  civil  government,  <ind  a  democracy  to  aftbrd  the 
greatest  amount  of  liberty  to  the  governed.  A  system  of  gov- 
ernment between  these  two  extremes,  is  probably  the  form  that 
is  best  suited  to  the  wants  of  man  in  these  latter  days.  Such 
a  system  of  mixed  government  may  be  found  to  exist  in  the 
limited  monarchy  of  Great  Britain,  and  still  more  perfectly  in 
the  republicanism  of  the  United  States  of  America.  In  each 
of  these  governments,  the  chief  executive  power  is  lodged  in 
the  hands  of  one  person,  who  moves  and  directs  the  large  num- 
ber of  subordinate  officers  under  him.  Such  a  system  is  at  a 
proper  distance  from  autocracy  on  the  one  hand,  and  anarchy 
on  the  other. 

In  like  manner,  ecclesiastical  government  may  be  made  to 
exist  under  different  forms,  combining  more  or  less  strength, 
and  affording  more  or  less  protection  to  the  governed.  The 
absolute  monarchy  of  Romanism,  with  the  Pope  at  its  head,  is 
found  at  one  extreme ;  and  a  state  of  complete  ecclesiastical 
independence,  may  be  found  at  the  other  extreme.  The  for- 
mer system  combines  more  strength  with  its  operations  ;  the 
latter  gives  greater  latitude  in  matters  of  faith  and  practice. 
The  former  is  an  ecclesiastical  despotism — the  latter  borders  ou 


/    I 


M 


19 


■F" 


■■« 


208 


EI'ISCOI'AL    MKJ'IIoniSM. 


a  state  of  spiritual  anarchy  and  confusion.  "  There  being  ..c 
king  in  Israel,  every  man  does  that  which  is  rii^'ht  in  his  own 
eyes."  Jietwoen  these  two  oxtrtMucs,  there  is,  and  ought  to  be, 
a  medium  course — a  mixed  funn  of  cliurcli  government — which 
will  combine  the  strength  of  the  one  system,  and  secure  the 
liberty  of  the  other,  as  far  as  it  is  jirojicr  to  secure  it ;  in  a 
word,  a  system  coinl)iniiig  strength  and  etHciency  with  a  proper 
degree  of  security  for  the  rights  and  privileges  of  those  whc 
are  disposed  to  Ix-come  the  subjects  of  such  ecclesiastical  gov- 
ernment. And  such,  we  may  be  allowed  to  claim,  is  the  gov- 
ernment of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  these  United 
States. 

But  in  order  that  the  reader  may  judge  of  the  comparative 
strength  and  efficiency  of  tiie  different  systems  of  church  gov 
er!iment  now  prevailing,  we  may  be  allowed  to  refer  to  then< 
somewhat  in  detail. 

1.  KoMisii  Ei'iscoPAcv. — In  this  system,  as  already  as 
serted,  wo  find  a  purely  spiritual  despotism.  The  strength 
and  power  of  the  system  centres  in  one  person — the  pope — 
who  claims  to  be  the  "  successor  of  St.  Peter,"  the  "  vicegerent 
of  God,"  "supreme  over  all  mortals,"  "over  all  emperors, 
kings,  princes,  potentates,  and  people,"  "  King  of  kings,  and 
Lord  of  lords."  Such  are  a  few  of  the  titles  claimed  by  his 
"  Holiness."  And  it  should  be  understood  that  these  titles  are 
not  by  Romanists  considered  as  mere  empty  sounds,  but  that 
all  Roman  Catholics,  from  the  higher  dignitaries  of  the 
Church,  down  to  the  lowest  private  member,  acknowledge  the 
validity  of  such  titles,  and  pay  the  most  obsequious  obedience 
to  the  pope  as  universal  bishop.  To  strengthen  the  power  of 
tlie  pope,  all  cardinals,  archbishops,  bishops,  priests,  deacons, 
&c.  <fec.,  must  swear  eternal  fealty  to  him  and  to  his  govern- 
ment. Hence  the  pope,  with  or  without  his  councils,  is  the 
fountain  of  all  law,  and  the  source  of  all  ecclesiastical  honor. 
His  "bulls"  are  as  authoritative  as  are  the  mandates  of  Jeho- 
vah, issued  from  amidst  the  thunderings  and  lightnings  of 


i' 


wm 


ENOMSH    KPI8C0PACV. 


269 


i 


Sinai's  smoking  summit.  In  i\  word,  his  will  ,^  law,  and  with 
his  host  of  titled  dignitaries  in  all  pail.^  of  Christendom,  he  has 
the  power  to  enforce  his  will,  if  not  b\  the  sh/irpnoss  of  steel, 
the  force  of  powder,  or  the  tires  and  tortures  of  the  inijuisition, 
by  other  means  no  less  effectual,  and  no  less  dangerous  to  the 
rights  and  liberties  of  mankind. 

2.  P]nglisii  Ei'iscoPACv. — In  this  system  of  church  govern- 
ment may  be  found  less  strength  than  in  the  llomish  systcim, 
but  a  greater  degree  of  freedom  for  the  subjects  of  its  power, 
and  yet  not  so  much  as  they  should  be  allowed  to  possess  by 
a  professedly  iVotestant  Church.  The  episcopacy  of  the 
Church  of  England  exists  in  two  archbishops  and  twenty-four 
bishops,  all  of  whom  are  ex  officio  lords  of  Parliament,  or  peers 
of  the  realm.  The  archbishop  of  Canteroury,  who  is  "  primate 
of  all  England,"  is  the  first  peer  of  the  realm,  and  takes  pre- 
cedence, not  only  of  all  the  bishops  and  clergy,  but  of  all  the 
nobility,  consisting  of  dukes,  earls,  marquises,  tfec.  &c.,  the 
royal  family  alone  excepted.  All  the  bishops  of  the  Church 
of  England  are,  in  fact,  the  creatures  of  the  crown  ;  that  is,  the 
reigning  sovereign  virtually  appoints  the  bishops  to  vacant 
sees,  and  every  subordinate  clergyman,  or  inferior  officer,  is 
also,  directly  or  indirectly,  the  appointee  of  the  civil  govern- 
ment. In  this  system,  therefore,  we  cannot  fail  to  perceive  a 
partial  leaning  toward  the  Romish  system  of  government,  es- 
pecially as  the  lay  members  of  the  Church  of  England  have  no 
voice  whatever  as  membere  in  the  affairs  of  the  church,  but  are 
in  all  respects,  subject  to  the  civil  and  ecclesiastical  "  powers 
that  be."  Such  a  system,  to  say  the  least,  based  upon  secular 
patronage,  and  courtly  influence  and  authority,  must  be  detri- 
mental to  the  interests  of  that  religion,  in  reference  to  which 
our  Saviour  said,  "  My  kingdom  is  not  of  this  world." 

8.  Pkotrstant  Ei'iscorACY. — This  system  prevails  in  the 
United  States,  as  the  form  of  government  selected  by  the  ad- 
herents of  the  Church  of  England,  after  the  war  of  the  Revolu- 
tion, and  the  independence  of  the  North  American  Colonies 


r^ 


•70 


KI'ISL'OI'AL    METIICt)ISM. 


I.  I 


t"- 


1.  ■• 


The  (Constitution  of  tlio  Protestant  Episcopal  Cliurch  was 
ailojtti'd  in  OctulxT,  1781),  iicjiily  five  years  subsctjiuiiit  to  the 
orj^anization  of  the  Mflhudist  Kpiseopal  C'hurch.  In  the  sys- 
U'ni  of  rrott'staiit  Kpiseopaey,  thcro  is  inoiv!  to  admire  than  in 
that  of  I'jii;hsh  h'piseopiicy.  TJui  liisliops  in  the  former  are 
not  lords,  or  spiritual  peers  of  the  realm,  in  a  civil  sense.  In- 
deed, whatever  disposition  mif^ht  exist  on  their  part,  or  on  the 
I)art  of  their  adherents,  to  engraft  the  Kni^lish  system  of  j^ov- 
ernmental  patrona;^e  into  their  chureh  polity,  it  is  well  known 
that  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States,  and  those  of  the 
respective  States,  completely  debars  them  from  making  any 
such  attempt. 

The  supreme  legislative  ai:d  judicial  power  of  this  church  is 
lodged  in  the  General  Convention,  which  meets  triennally,  and 
is  composed  of  an  upper  and  lower  house,  very  similar,  in  fact, 
to  the  Houses  of  f  '''*'.'«  and  Commons  in  England.  The  upper 
liouse  consist-  exclusively  of  the  bishops,  who  may  originate 
acts,  and  corcur  in  those  of  the  lower  house;  and  who  possess 
an  absolute  negative  in  relation  thereto ;  so  that  no  act  can 
become  a  law  unless  the  upper  house  agrees  thereto.  The 
lower  houje  consists  of  clergymen  and  lay  dejjuties,  who  may 
or  may  not  bo  members  of  the  church,  provided  they  are  duly 
elected  by  Lhe  bodies  they  represent. 

The  bishoi)s  of  this  church  have  their  respective  dioceses,  or 
episcopal  parishes,  beyond  which  they  possess  no  episcopal  au- 
thority whatever,  unless  invited  in  case  of  vacancy  to  exercise 
the  functions  of  their  ofTicc.  Their  salaries  amount  to  froiu 
two  to  seven  thousand  dollars  per  annum,  and  they  are  amen 
able  only  to  the  house  of  bishops  for  immorality  or  gross  offi- 
cial dereliction.  Such  is  the  Ej)iscopacy  of  the  Protestant 
Episcopal  Church  in  the  United  States — an  episcopacy  which 
has  embraced  many  worthy  men,  and  yet  which  has  been  dis- 
graced by  one  or  more  less  worthy  persons,  of  doubtful  morals. 

4.  pRESBYTERiANisM. — In  this  systcm  we  find  a  total  aban- 
donment of  episcopacy  in  all  its  forms ;  the  supreme  legislative 


CUNUKKOATIUNALIHMI. 


271 


and  jiulicial  power  beitifr  invested  in  the  body  of  elders — 
teaching  and  nilini; — who  are  del<'i:;at('d  h)  their  res|i<'ctivo 
presbyteries  to  meet  in  the  (Jenerul  Assembly,  which  body 
represents  the  church  as  a  whole.  The  I'resbytcjrian  system 
embodies  much  power  and  eflieii'iicy,  because  of  the  connec- 
tional  principhi  which  pervades  the  entire  system.  It  has,  in 
fact,  many  excellencies,  and  but  f<!W  defects,  the  latter  being 
owing  to  the  want  of  a  general  supcrinteiidency  of  some 
kind,  which  wouM  have  a  tendency  to  cons(»Jidat(^  the  dilVerent 
parts  of  the  sysUMU  more  jierfectly.  The  most  perfect  system 
of  I'resbyterianism  is  that  found  in  llie  Scottish  Churches,  as 
also  in  the  Presbyterian  (Jhurch  of  the  United  States. 

6.  CoNGiiKOATioNALisM. — By  this  system  of  church  gov- 
ernment is  understood  the  absolute  independence  of  each  local 
church,  in  regard  to  matters  of  faith  a^'d  ecclesiastical  polity ; 
discarding  at  once,  not  oidy  episcopacy  in  all  its  forms,  but 
even  ]»resbyterianism  itself.  Under  this  system,  each  local 
church  is  the  supn.Mne  legislative  and  judicial  body,  in  regard 
to  all  matters  which  apjx.'rtain  to  the  dix'trines  or  ])ractice9  of 
its  individual  members ;  and  no  other  church  council  or  pres- 
bytery has  any  riglit  whatever  to  interfere  with  their  independ- 
ence in  these  respects,  except  to  give  advicj  when  renuested. 

Congregationalistn  was  the  established  form  of  church  gov- 
ernment  in  the  days  of  Puritanism,  in  many  of  the  colonies, 
and  und(!r  this  system  some  very  sanguinary  laws  were  passed 
lor  the  hanging  of  Quakers,  witches,  etc.  <fec.  The  inhabitants 
of  the  colonics  where  tliis  system  prevailed,  as  also  in  some  of 
the  States  after  independ(!nce  was  secured,  were  taxed  by  law 
for  the  support  of  the  '"''standing  order  ;^''  and  it  rendev:'d  itself 
powerful  only  as  it  wielded  the  sword  of  the  civil  magistrate. 
Since  the  latter  has  been  taken  from  it,  and  it  has  been  left  to 
stand  upon  its  own  merits,  it  has  been  found  that  there  is  a 
great  want  of  system  and  efficiency  in  this  form  of  ecclesiastical 
polity  ;  so  much  so,  that  there  has  been  for  many  years  a  grad- 
aal  advance  towards  the  Presbyterian  form. 


' 


272 


EPISCOPAL    MRTHODISM. 


i---. 


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; 

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■' 

■< 

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LJ 

6.  Methodist  Episcopacy. — We  now  proceed  to  notice  the 
advantages  of  the  pohty  adopted  by  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church.  And  in  doing  so,  it  will  be  necessary  to  diverge  more 
or  less  from  the  main  feature  of  the  system,  namely,  the  epis- 
copacy itself.  In  the  examination  of  these  points,  it  will,  no 
doubt,  be  perceived  by  the  reader,  that  while  our  church  polity 
secures  strength  and  vitality  on  the  one  hand,  it  also  secures 
the  rights  and  privileges  of  every  member  and  minister  in  the 
church,  on  the  other;  that  it  combines  whatever  is  excellent 
iu  other  systems,  and  discards  what  are  acknowledged  to  be 
serious  defects  in  those  systems. 

It  should  be  rememberea  that  Methodism  is  aggressive  in  its 
character  and  operations.  Its  great  object  is  not  to  provide  fat 
parishes  for  its  priests,  or  rich  dioceses  for  its  bishops  ;  not  to 
decorate  its  ministers  and  altars  with  flowing  drapery,  or  splen- 
did vestments,  not  to  minister  to  the  vitiated  taste  of  a  cold 
and  heartless  congregation  ;  or  to  sit  down  in  ease  and  enjoy 
the  good  things  of  this  life  ;  but  to  "  spread  scriptural  holiness" 
over  the  world  ;  to  wage  war  with  sin,  and  to  carry  the  battle 
even  to  the  gales  of  hell.  Its  object  is  to  go  to  the  sinner  and 
invite  him  to  Christ ;  if  he  accepts  the  invitation,  then  to  lead 
him  into  the  audience-chamber  of  the  King  of  kings  ;  if  he 
finds  mercy — as  we  know  he  will,  if  sincere — then  lead  him 
into  "  green  pastures,  and  by  the  side  of  still  waters,"  that  he 
may  "  grow  in  grace,  and  in  the  knowledge  of  the  truth  ;"  to 
place  safeguards  around  him,  that  he  may  not  fall  a  prey  to 
the  adversary ;  to  place  before  him  such  incentives  to  piety, 
and  such  inducements  to  holiness,  as  shall  prompt  him  to  make 
his  "  calling  and  election  sure."  All  this  is  the  proper  work 
of  the  ministry,  and  instead  of  waitinor  until  the  invitation  is 
given  to  come  and  preach  in  some  snug  liUle  parish  church, 
the  Methodist  itinerant  receives  his  commission  to  "  go  into  all 
the  world  ;"  to  "  go  into  the  highways  and  hedges,  and  com- 
pel men  to  come  in."     Such  is  the  object  of  Methodism. 

But  to  accomplish  these  desirable  results,  a  mode  of  opera- 


METHODIST    EPISCOPACY. 


273 


tion  must  be  pursued,  which  will  be  likely  to  secure  the  end  in 
view,  and  such  instruments  must  be  employed  as  shall  be  will- 
.ng  not  only  to  endure  the  i  jcessary  hardships,  and  make  the 
necessary  sacnfices,  but  who  are  otherwise  qualified  for  the 
great  work  of  saving  souls.  Such  a  mode  of  operation  is  found 
ill  the  itinerant  system  of  Methodism,  and  such  instruments  are 
found  in  the  thousands  of  ministers  who  have  many  of  them 
literally  "  forsaken  all  for  Christ's  sake,  and  the  gospel's,"  and 
the  thousands  and  millions  who  have  been  converted  to  God 
through  such  instrumentalitieji,  afford  abundant  evidence  of  the 
efficiency  of  the  system  by  which  they  have  been  brought  into 
the  fold  of  Christ. 

To  preserve  these  sheep,  to  save  these  lambs,  pastors  must 
be  provided,  and  government  must  be  instituted.  How  shall 
these  pastoi-s  be  appointed  ;  and  what  form  of  government 
shall  be  instituted  ?  Shall  we  allow  each  individual  sheep  to 
select  its  own  shepherd  ?  Then  we  might  have  as  many  shep- 
herds as  there  are  sheep.  Shall  we  institute  a  form  of  govern- 
ment similar  to  the  Romish  Episcopacy  ?  This  would  be  both 
unscriptural  and  dangerous.  Sliall  we  select  the  English  Epis- 
copal form  ?  This  certainly  couM  not  be  tolerated  in  a  land 
of  freedom.  Shall  we  choose  the  Protestant  Episcopal  mode 
of  government  ?  This  would  be  to  allow  persons  who  are  not 
even  communicants  of  our  own,  or  any  other  church,  to  make 
our  laws,  and  frame  our  church  polity  for  us — yea,  even  infi- 
dels and  avowed  skeptics  might  meet  in  "  solemn  conclave,"  to 
enact  laws  for  tlie  government  of  the  "  body  of  Christ."  Shall 
we  submit  to  the  Presbyterian  form  of  church  government  ? 
This  would  destroy  at  once  the  aggressive  character  of  the 
church.  Shall  we  then  adopt  the  congregational  mode  ?  This 
would  not  only  destroy  the  connectional  principle,  but  would 
be  fatal  to  the  itinerant  system.  No!  we  will  combine  to- 
gether, if  possible,  the  excellences  of  each,  and  discard  that 
which  is  unfit  for  the  government  of  Christ's  flock.  We  will 
have  a  general  superintendency,  without  the  usual  pomp  and 


r 


. '  I 


m 


HP 


274 


EVISCOPAL    METHODISM. 


trapi»ing9  of  a  lordly  hierarchy.  We  will  have  a  ministry  who 
will  fulfil  their  commission  without  waiting  for  a  "  call"  to  the 
more  able  parishes.  We  will  have  a  system  of  government 
that  will  preclude  the  despotism  of  Rome,  and  the  anarchy  of 
pure  independency. 

Such  is  the  system  of  government  as  adopted  in  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church,  and  the  reader  who  will  peruse  the 
succeeding  sections  of  this  work,  will  not  fail  to  be  struck  with 
the  admirable  arrangement  of  the  whole  caperstructure,  and 
the  perfect  adaptation  of  all  the  parts  to  each  other,  so  that 
from  the  bishop  down  to  the  most  Immble  member,  the  rights 
of  all  are  fully  and  perfectly  secured. 

Objections  have  been  urged  against  the  system  thus  adopted, 
because  of  the  absence  of  lay  delegates  in  the  general  and  an- 
nual conferences.  In  reference,  however,  to  the  latter  bodies, 
scarcely  any  re[)ly  need  be  made  to  the  objection,  as  it  is  a  well- 
known  fact,  that  the  business  transacted  by  such  bodies,  is 
purely  ministerial  in  its  character ;  and  what  good  end  could 
be  secured  by  a  lay  delegation,  we  have  yet  to  learn.  In  re- 
lation to  a  delegation  of  lay  members  in  the  General  Confer- 
ence, it  may  be  necessary  to  say  that  the  greater  part  of  the 
business  here  transacted,  relates  almost  exclusively  to  the 
pieachers  ;  but  besides,  the  plan  of  having  a  lay  delegation  in 
the  General  Conference,  would  be  utterly  impracticable.  In  a 
church  as  large  as  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  the  num- 
ber of  ministerial  delegates  must  necessarily  be  large,  in  order 
to  have  a  fair  representation  of  the  difFei'ent  portions  of  the 
church  ;  and  indeed  the  at<^endance  now  is  so  large  as  to  make 
it  a  serious  tax  on  the  time  and  hospitality  of  the  inhabitants 
of  the  place  where  the  conference  is  held.  Now,  if  we  were  to 
double  or  treble  the  number  in  attendance,  it  would  proportion- 
ably  increase  the  burden.  These  delegates  must  also  come 
from  all  parts  of  the  church,  thousands  of  miles  distant ;  to  do 
this,  a  vast  amount  of  expense  must  be  met,  and  who  will  meet 
such  additional  outlays  2     Will  the  delegates  pay  their  owt 


OBJECTIONS    TO    LAY    DELEGATES. 


275 


expenses  ?  Then  shall  we  make  rich  men  necessary  to  us,  while 
the  poor,  because  of  his  poverty,  will  have  the  privilege  of  stay- 
ing at  home.  Besides,  our  lay  members  generally  belong  to 
the  humbler  ranks  in  society  ;  true,  we  have  some  judges,  and 
lawyers,  and  distinguished  statesmen,  and  physicians,  who  are 
worthy  members  of  the  church,  and  who  have  the  2)ecuniary 
ability  to  pay  their  own  expenses,  but  their  time  is  more  proj)- 
erly,  and  perhaps  more  profitably  spent  in  attending  to  the  du- 
ties of  their  professions,  than  in  spending  weeks,  perhaps 
months,  in  hearing  the  appeals  of  preachers,  and  listening  to 
the  arguments  of  divines. 

There  is  still  another  consideration  which  outweighs  all  oth- 
ers  in  relation  to  lay  representation,  and  that  is  its  absolute  im- 
possibility. To  have  a  fair  and  proportionate  number  of  cleri- 
cal and  lay  delegates,  would  require  both  classes  to  be  repre- 
sented in  an  equal  ratio  ;  that  is,  for  instance  :  one  clerical  del- 
egate for  every  twenty-one  ministers  ;  and  one  lay  delegate  for 
every  twenty-one  members.  This  would  give  us,  according  to 
our  present  numbers  in  the  church,  about  two  hundred  clerical 
delegates,  and  over  thirty-three  thoKsond  lay  delegates  !  But 
suppose  we  make  the  ratio  of  representation  one  delegate  for 
every  thousand  ministers  and  members  ;  then  should  we  have 
four  ministerial  delegates,  to  seven  hundred  h.y  delegates.  As 
we  find  the  delegation  to  be  still  rather  large,  supposing  we 
make  the  ratio  one  for  every  five  thousand  ;  then  we  have  of 
ministerial  delegates,  none  !  and  of  lay  delegates  one  hundred 
and  forty  ! 

There  are  still  other  considerations  which  might  be  presented 
as  reasons  for  rejecting  the  practice  of  a  lay  delegation  in  the 
councils  of  the  church ;  one  or  two  only  we  will  name,  and 
drop  the  subject.  A  lay  delegation  would  inevitably  produce 
the  spirit  and  practice  of  electioneering  in  the  primary  bodies 
of  the  church,  thus  keeping  the  body  in  a  continual  state  of 
agitation,  producing  discord  and  dissensions  among  brethren. 
It  would  also  beget  a  spirit  of  vain-glory,  by  raising  one  mem* 


27G 


KPISCOPAL    METHODISM. 


ber  above  another.  It  would  be  attended  with  so  much  incon- 
venience, as  to  be  totally  impracticable  in  its  operations,  and  it 
would  tend  to  secularize  the  church  of  God,  by  appointing  men 
for  its  legislators  and  governors,  who  are  purely  secular  in  their 
calling  and  profession  ;  and  lastly,  the  practice  has  been  faith- 
fully tried  in  other  Methodist  bodies,  and  has  not  answered  the 
expectations  of  its  warmest  friends.  Hence,  we  had  better 
leave  the  matter  as  it  is,  praying  that  God  may  always  preserve 
the  councils  of  the  church  from  adopting  any  measures  that 
shall  not  be  promotive  of  his  glory,  and  the  good  of  mankind. 

In  the  further  examination  of  the  polity  of  Episcopal  Meth- 
odism, we  propose  to  confine  ourselves  mostly  to  the  matter 
found  in  the  Book  of  Discipline,  and  to  select  such  portions  of 
the  same,  as  will  throw  light  on  the  subject,  while  we  will  pur- 
posely omit  everything  that  is  not  needed  for  this  purpose,  and 
add  any  explanatory  remarks  which  we  may  think  necessary  to 
a  better  understanding  of  the  same. 


CHAPTER   II. 

GENERAL   RULES,   AND   RECEPTION  AND   EXPULSION 

OF  MExMBERS. 

SECTION  I. 


THE    NATURE,   DESIGN,    AND    GENERAL    RULES    OF    OUR 
UNITED    SOCIETIES. 

"  (1.)  In  the  latter  end  of  the  year  1739,  eight  or  ten  per- 
sons came  to  Mr.  Wesley  in  London,  who  appeared  to  be  deep- 
ly convinced  of  sin,  and  earnestly  groaning  for  redemption. 
I'hey  desired,  as  did  two  or  three  more  the  next  day,  that  he 
would  spend  some  time  with  them  in  prayer,  and  advise  them 
how  to  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come,  which  they  saw  continu- 
ally hanging  over  their  heads.  That  he  might  have  more  time 
for  this  great  work,  he  appointed  a  day  when  they  might  all 
come  together,  which  from  thenceforward  they  did  every  week, 
namely,  on  Thursday,  in  the  evening.  To  these,  and  as  many 
more  as  desired  to  join  with  them  (for  their  number  increased 
daily),  he  gave  those  advices,  from  time  to  time,  which  he 
judged  most  needful  for  them,  and  they  always  concluded 
thtdr  meeting  with  prayer,  suited  to  their  several  necessities. 

(2.)  This  was  the  rise  of  the  United  Society,  first  in  Eu" 
rope,  and  then  in  America.  Such  a  Society  is  no  other  than  a 
*'  company  of  men  having  the  form,  and  seeking  the  2)oiver  of 
godliness,  united  in  order  to  pray  together,  to  receive  the  word 
of  exhortation,  and  to  watch  over  each  other  in  love,  that  they 
may  help  each  other  to  work  out  their  salvation." 

(3.)  That  it  may  the  more  easily  be  discerned  whether  they 


■J' 


278 


EPISCOPAL    METHODISM. 


nre  indeed  working  out  their  own  salvation,  each  Society  is 
divided  into  smaller  companies,  called  classes,  according  to  their 
respective  places  of  abode.  There  are  about  twelve  persons  in 
a  class,  one  of  whom  is  styled  the  Leader.     It  is  his  duty, 

I.  To  see  each  person  in  his  class  once  a  week,  at  least,  in 
order, 

1.  To  inquire  how  their  souls  rrosper. 

2.  To  advise,  reprove,  comfort,  or  exhort,  as  occjision  may 
require. 

3.  To  receive  what  they  are  willing  to  give  toward  the  relief 
of  the  preachers,  church,  and  poor.* 

II.  To  meet  the  ministers  and  the  stewards  of  the  Society 
once  a  week,  in  order, 

1.  To  inform  the  minister  of  any  that  are  sick,  or  of  any  that 
walk  disorderly,  and  will  not  be  reproved. 

2.  To  pay  the  stewards  what  they  have  received  of  their  sev- 
eral classes  during  the  week  preceding. 

(4.)  There  is  only  one  condition  j)reviously  required  of  those 
who  desire  admission  into  these  Societies — "  a  desire  to  flee 
from  the  wrath  to  come,  and  be  saved  from  their  sins."  But 
wherever  this  is  really  fixed  in  the  soul,  it  will  be  shown  by  its 
fruits.  It  is  therefore  expected  of  all  who  contimie  therein, 
that  they  should  continue  to  evidence  their  desires  for  salvation, 

First.  By  doing  no  harm  ;  by  avoiding  evil  of  every  kind, 
especially  that  which  is  most  generally  practised  ;  such  as, 

The  taking  of  the  name  of  God  in  vain  ; 

The  profaning  the  day  of  the  Lord,  either  by  doing  ordinary 
work  therein,  or  by  buying  or  selling  ; 

Drunkenness,  buying  or  selling  spirituous  liquors,  or  drink- 
ing them,  unless  in  cases  of  extreme  necessity  ; 

The  buying  and  selling  of  men,  women,  and  children,  with 
an  intention  to  enslave  them  ; 

*  This  part  refers  to  towns  and  cities ;  where  the  poor  are  generallj 
D..inerou8,  and  churcli  expenses  considerable. 


GENERAL    RULES    OF    THE    UNITED    SOCIETIES. 


278 


Fiffhtiiiir,  qujirrellinjr,  brawlinjr,  bmther  uoinn;  to  law  with 


'o' 


'o' 


o» 


brother,  returning  evil  for  evil,  or  railing  for  railing,  the  usMjg 
many  words  in  buying  or  selling ; 

The  buying  or  selling  goods  that  have  not  paid  the  duty  ; 

The  giving  or  taking  things  on  usury — i.  e.  unlawful  interest; 

Uncharitable  or  unprofitable  conversation,  particularly  speak- 
ing evil  of  magistrates  or  of  ministers  ; 

Doing  to  others  as  we  would  not  they  should  do  unto  us ; 

Doing  what  we  know  is  not  for  the  glory  of  Cod  ;  as  : 

The  putting  on  of  gold,  and  costly  apparel ; 

The  taking  such  diversions  as  cannot  be  used  in  the  name  of 
thfc  Lord  Jesus ; 

The  singing  those  songs,  or  reading  those  books  which  do 
not  tend  to  the  knowledge  or  love  of  God  ; 

Softness,  and  needless  self-indulgence  ; 

Laying  up  treasure  upon  earth  ; 

Borrowing,  without  a  probability  of  paying,  or  taking  up 
goods,  without  a  probability  of  paying  for  them. 

(5.)  It  is  expected  of  all  who  continue  in  these  Societies 
that  they  should  continue  to  evidence  their  desire  of  salvation, 

Secondly.  By  doing  good,  by  being  in  every  kind  merciful 
after  their  power,  as  they  have  opportunity,  doing  good  of 
every  possible  sort,  and  as  far  as  possible,  to  all  men.  To  their 
bodies,  of  the  ability  which  God  giveth,  by  giving  food  to  the 
hungry,  by  clothing  the  naked,  by  visiting  oi  helping  them  that 
are  sick  or  in  prison  ; 

To  their  souls,  by  instructing,  reproving,  or  exhorting,  all  wo 
have  any  intercourse  with  ;  trampling  under  foot  that  enthusi- 
astic doctrine,  that  "  we  are  not  to  do  good,  unless  our  hearts 
be  free  to  it." 

By  doing  good,  especially  to  them  who  are  of  the  household 
of  faith,  or  groaning  so  to  be ;  emplcying  them  preferably  to 
others,  buying  one  of  another,  helping  each  other  in  business  ; 
and  so  much  the  more,  as  the  world  will  love  its  own,  and  them 
only; 


^^ 


280 


EPXSCOi'AL    METHODISM. 


By  all  possible  diligence  and  frugality,  that  the  gospel  bo 
not  blamed  ; 

By  running  with  patience  the  race  which  is  set  before  them, 
denying  themselves,  and  taking  up  their  crosses  daily  ;  submit- 
ting to  bear  the  reproach  of  Christ,  to  be  as  the  filth  and  ofF- 
scouring  of  the  world  ;  and  looking  that  men  should  say  all 
manner  of  evil  of  them,  falsely,  for  the  Lord's  sake. 

(G.)  It  is  expected  of  all  who  desire  to  continue  in  these 
Societies,  that  they  should  continue  to  cidence  their  desire  of 
salvation. 

Thirdly.  By  attending  upon  all  the  ordinances  of  God  :  such 
are, 

The  public  worship  of  God  ; 

The  ministry  of  the  word,  either  read  or  expounded  ; 

The  Supper  of  the  Lord  ; 

Family  and  private  prayer  ; 

Searching  the  Scriptures  ;  and 

Fasting,  or  abstinence. 

(7.)  These  are  the  general  rules  of  our  Societies :  all  of 
which  we  are  taught  of  God  to  observe,  even  in  his  written 
word,  which  is  the  only  rule,  and  the  sufficient  rule,  both  of 
our  faith  and  practice.  And  all  these  we  know  his  Spirit 
writes  on  truly  awakened  hearts.  If  there  be  any  among  us 
who  observe  them  not,  who  habitually  break  any  of  them,  let 
it  be  known  unto  them  who  watch  over  that  soul  as  they  who 
must  give  an  account.  We  will  admonish  him  of  the  error  of 
his  wavs.  We  will  bear  with  him  for  a  season.  But  then,  if 
he  repent  not,  he  hath  no  more  place  among  us.  We  have 
delivered  our  own  souls." 

We  have  thus  quoted  at  length  the  general  rules,  that  the 
uninformed  reader  may  see  at  a  glance  the  requirements  which 
the  Discipline  of  the  Methodist  Church  makes  of  all  its  minis- 
ters and  members  ;  and  we  think  that  every  candid  reader  will 
admit  that  a  more  scriptural  code  of  morality  and  religious 
practice  could  not  well  be  drawn  up  by  man.     Such  as  they 


RECKFTIOy    OF    MEMBERS — EXPULSION'. 


281 


are,  we  commend  them  to  the  prayerful  attention  of  all,  and 
especially  of  the  members  of  the  church. 

SECTIOX  II. 

OF    RECEIVING    MEMBERS    INTO    THE   CHURCH. 

1.  IIow  shall  we' prevent  improper  persons  from  insinuating 
themselves  into  the  church  ? 

Ans.  1.  L(;t  none  be  received  into  the  church,  until  they  are 
recommended  by  a  leader  with  whom  they  liave  met  six 
months  on  trial,  and  have  been  baptized  ;  and  shall  on  exami- 
nation by  the  minister  in  charge,  give  satisfactory  assurances, 
both  of  the  correctness  of  their  faith,  and  their  willingness  to 
observe  and  keep  the  rules  of  the  church.  Nevertheless,  if  a 
member  in  good  standing  in  any  orthodox  church  shall  desire 
to  unite  with  us,  such  applicant  may,  by  giving  satisfactory  an- 
swers to  the  usual  inquiries,  be  received  at  once  into  full  fellow- 
ship. 

2.  Let  none  be  admitted  on  trial  except  they  are  well  recom- 
mended by  one  you  know,  or  until  they  have  met  twice  or 
thrice  in  class. 

3.  Read  the  rules  to  them  the  first  time  they  meet. 

4.  The  official  minister  or  preacher  shall,  at  every  quarterly 
meeting,  read  the  names  of  those  that  are  received  into  the 
church,  and  also  those  that  are  excluded  therefrom. 

SECTION  III. 

ON    THE    TRIAL    AND    EXPULSION    OF    MEMBEI5S. 

1.  Probationer?  in  the  church  may,  for  neglect  of  duty,  or 
disorderly  conduct,  be  discontinued  at  any  time,  without  the 
usual  forms  of  trial  and  expulsion.  Six  months'  probation  are 
granted,  that  every  candidate  for  membership  may  become 


\- 


2di 


KPI8C0PAL    MKTIIODISM. 


thoroughly  acquainted  with  the  doctrines,  usages,  and  discipline 
of  the  church ;  and  that  the  church  may  have  a  reasonable 
length  of  time  to  judge  of  the  correctness  of  his  faitii  and  prac- 
tice. When  he  fails  to  give  evidence  of  a  dt  sire  to  abide  by 
the  rules  of  the  church,  he  may  be  silently  droj)ped  fro>n  his 
probationary  connect •    i,  by  the  preacher  having  charge. 

2.  An  accused  member  is  brought  to  trial  before  the  Society 
of  which  he  is  a  member,  or  a  select  numl)er  of  them,  in  the 
presence  of  a  bishop,  elder,  deacon,  or  preacher,  in  the  follow- 
ing manner  :  Let  the  accused  and  accuser  be  brought  face  to 
face  ;  but  if  this  cannot  be  done,  let  the  next  best  evidence  bo 
procured.  If  the  accused  person  be  found  guilty,  by  the  de- 
cision of  a  majority  of  the  members  before  whom  he  is  brought 
to  trial,  and  the  crime  be  such  ns  is  expressly  forbidden  in  the 
word  of  God,  sufficient  to  exclude  a  person  from  the  kingdom 
of  grace  and  glory,  let  tl:e  minister,  or  preacher,  who  has  the 
charge  of  the  circi-ii,  expel  him.  If  the  accused  jierson  evade 
a  trial  by  absenting  himself,  after  sufficient  notice  given  him, 
and  the  circumstances  of  the  accusation  afford  strong  presump- 
tion of  guilt,  let  him  be  esteemed  as  guilty,  and  be  accordingly 
excluded.     Witnesses  from  without  shall  not  be  rejected. 

2.  But  in  cases  of  neglect  of  duties  of  any  kind,  imprudent 
conduct,  indulging  sinful  tempers,  or  words,  the  buying,  selling, 
or  using  intoxicating  liquors  as  a  beverage,  or  disobedience  to 
the  order  and  discipline  of  the  church  :  First,  let  private  re- 
proof be  given  by  a  preacher  or  leader ;  and  if  there  be  an 
acknowledgment  of  the  fi^ult,  and  proper  humiliation,  the  per- 
son may  be  borne  with.  On  a  second  offence,  the  jireacht'r  or 
leader  may  take  one  or  two  faithful  friends.  On  a  third  ulK-nce 
let  the  case  be  brought  before  the  Society,  or  a  select  number, 
and  if  there  be  no  sign  of  real  humiliation,  the  otiender  shall  be 
cut  off. 

3.  If  a  member  shall  be  clearly  convicted  of  endeavoring  to 
BOW  dissensions  in  the  Societies,  by  inveighing  against  the  doc- 
trines and  discipline  of  the  church,  such  person  shall  be  fii-st 


TRIAL    AND    EXPULSION    OK    MKMIiKRS. 


283 


(    ^ 


reproved  by  the  soni.<r  ministor,  or  preacher,  and  if  ne  persist, 
ho  shall  be  expelled, 

4.  If  a  monibi-r  wilfully  and  ropeatodly  ncnloet  to  meet  in 
class,  the  minister  or  prcirlicr  shall  visit  him  whenever  practi- 
cable, and  exjjlain  to  him  the  consequence  of  coiitinm"!  n-'glect, 
namely  exclusion,  and  rf  there  be  no  ameiulmeiit,  the  minister 
or  preacher  shall  bring  the  case  before  the  Society,  or  a  s  lect 
number,  before  whom  ho  shall  have  been  cited  to  appear,  and 
if  found  guilty,  ho  shall  be  laid  aside. 

5.  If,  in  any  case  of  the  trial  of  a  member,  the  preacher  dif 
for  in  judgment  from  the  Society,  or  the  select  number,  con- 
cerning the  guilt  or  innocence  of  the  accused  person,  the 
preacher  may  refer  the  whole  matter  to  the  next  quarterly  co!i- 
ference  ;  and  if  the  person  excluded  complain  of  injustice  hav- 
ing been  done  in  his  case,  he  shall  be  allowed  an  appeal  to  the 
next  quarterly  conference,  unless  he  shall  have  absented  him- 
self from  trial. 

6.  If  a  member  who  has  been  excluded  complain  to  an  an- 
nual conference,  after  having  appealed  to  a  quarterly  conference, 
that  there  has  been  incorrect  administration  of  the  discipline  in 
his  case,  and  if  it  shall  appear  to  the  annual  conference  that 
such  complaint  is  well  founded,  and  the  annual  conference  shall 
so  decide,  such  decision  shall  restore  the  expelled  person  to 
membership  in  the  church. 

7.  On  any  dispute  between  two  or  more  members  of  the 
church,  concerning  the  payment  of  debts,  or  otherwise,  which 
cannot  be  settled  by  the  parties  concerned,  the  preacher  who 
has  the  charge  of  the  Society,  shall  recommend  to  the  parlies 
a  reference  to  one  arbit^^r  chosen  by  the  plaintiff,  and  another 
chosen  by  the  defendant,  and  a  third  chosen  by  these  two,  all 
being  members  of  the  church,  which  board  of  arbiters  shall  de- 
cide the  question.  If  either  party  is  dissatisfied  with  the  de- 
cision given,  such  party  may  apply  to  the  ensuing  quarterly 
conference  for  a  s(  cond  arbitration,  and  if  the  quarterly  confer- 
ence see  sufficieut  rey^on,  f'sv  sivM  grao*  tb*^  p^rae,  in  which 

20 


!84 


Ki'ISCOI'AL    MKTIIOUISM. 


case  each  party  shall  choose  two  arbiters,  aiul  tho  four  thn? 
chosen  shall  select  a  lifth  one,  the  decision  of  which  l)oar(l  shall 
be  final. 

8.  When  a  complaint  is  ina<l(!  against  any  member  of  the 
church  for  non-payment  of  del^t,  if  the  amount  is  ascertained, 
the  preacher  having  charge  shall  call  the  debtor  before  a  com- 
mittee of  three  or  more,  to  show  cause  why  he  does  not  make 
payment.  The  committee  shall  determine  what  further  time 
shall  be  granted  him  before  making  payment,  and  what  secur- 
ity, if  any,  shall  be  given  for  the  same. 

9.  In  case  of  a  refusal  to  comply  with  the  decision  of  the 
arbiters,  or  with  the  decision  of  the  committee,  whether  on  tho 
part  of  the  plaintiff  or  defendant,  tho  member  so  refusing  shall 
be  liable  to  trial  for  disobedience  to  the  order  and  discipline  of 
the  church  ;  and  if  they  are  found  guilty  of  such  refusal,  and 
persist  in  the  same,  they  shall  be  expelled. 

10.  When  any  member  fails  in  business,  or  contracts  debts 
which  he  is  not  able  to  pay,  the  jjreachcr  shall  appoint  two  or 
three  judicious  members  of  the  church  to  inspect  the  accounts, 
contracts,  and  circumstances  of  the  supposed  delinquent,  and  if 
he  shall  have  behaved  dishonestly,  or  fraudulently,  or  borrowed 
money  without  a  probability  of  paying,  he  shall,  after  proper 
trial  before  the  Society,  or  select  number,  be  exoelled. — Dis. 
pp.  54-50. 

11.  In  relation  to  smuggling,  bribery,  <fec.  the  following  rules 
are  laid  down  :  Extirpate  buying  or  selling  goods  which  have 
not  paid  the  duty  laid  on  them  by  government,  out  of  the 
church.  Let  none  remain  with  us  who  will  not  totally  abstain 
from  this  evil  in  every  kind  and  degree.  Extirpate  bribery, 
receiving  anything  directly  or  indirectly  for  voting  at  any  elec- 
tion. Show  no  respect  to  persons  herein,  but  expel  all  that 
touch  the  accursed  thing.  And  strcnigly  advise  our  people  to 
discountenance  all  treats  given  by  candidates  before  or  at  elec- 
tions, and  not  to  be  partakers  in  any  respect  of  such  iniquitous 
practices. — Dis.  p.  64. 


CHAPTER    III. 

OF  THE  MINISTERS,  PUEACflKUS.  AND  OTHER  OFFICERS 

OF  THE  CllUKClI. 

SECTION  I. 

OFTIIK  DI8IIOP8  ANU  TIIEIK  UUTV  ;    AND  TO  WHOM  liESI'ONSIULE. 

1.  A  uisiioi'  is  constituted  by  the  clet'tiuii  of  the  Goncral 
Conl'ercuce,  and  tho  layin;^  on  ot"  tlie  hands  of  three  bishops  ; 
or  of  one  bishoj)  and  two  elders  ;  or,  if  there  are  no  bisiiops,  by 
the  layinj;  on  of  the  hands  of  three  elders  appointed  for  that 
purpose  by  tiie  General  Conference. 

2.  The  duties  of  the  bishop  arc  to  preside  in  the  General 
and  Annual  Conferences;  to  fix  the  appointments  of  the  pre- 
siding elders  and  preachers  for  the  several  districts,  circuits  and 
stations  ;  to  appoint  missionaries  among  the  colored  people  and 
Indians,  and  to  destitute  portions  of  our  own  land,  and  to 
foreign  lands ;  in  the  intervals  of  conference  to  change,  receive 
Hud  suspend  preachers,  as  necessity  may  require,  and  as  the 
Discipline  directs ;  to  travel  through  the  connection  at  large ; 
to  ordain  bishops,  elders,  and  deacons,  when  properly  elected 
by  the  General  or  Annual  Conferences ;  to  decide  questions  of 
law,  when  presiding  in  an  annual  conference,  subject  to  an 
appeal  to  the  General  (^inference  ;  to  prepare  a  course  of  read- 
ing and  study  for  candidates  for  the  ministry,  and  to  oversee 
the  spiritual  and  temporal  interests  of  the  church. 

3.  The  following  limitations  are  placed  upon  the  power  of 
the  bishops :  They  shall  not  allow  any  preacher  to  remain  in 
the  same  station  more  than  two  years  at  a  time ;  nor  reappoint 


'^f^TTT'WJWWir 


286 


EPISCOPAL   MBTHODISM. 


"       I 


them  to  the  same  station  till  after  an  absence  of  four  years, 
excepting  agents,  editors,  chaplains,  missionaries,  and  teachers 
in  colleges  or  seminaries  of  learning.  They  shall  not  allow  a 
preacher  to  remain  in  the  same  city  more  than  four  years  in 
succession,  nor  return  him  to  it  till  he  shall  have  been  absent 
four  years.  They  shall  not  appoint  a  presiding  elder  to  the 
same  district  for  more  than  four  years  in  ten. 

4.  The  power  with  which  the  bishops  are  invested  was  for- 
merly much  greater  than  it  is  now.  In  1784,  no  person  could 
be  ordained  to  any  ministerial  office  without  the  consent  of  the 
bishop.  The  preachers  were  prohibited  from  printing  any 
book  without  the  approbation  of  one  of  the  bishops.  The 
bishop  was  also — as  is  now  the  case  in  the  Protestant  Episcopal 
Church — authorized  to  receive  appeals  from  the  preachers  and 
people,  and  decide  them.  In  these  and  some  other  respects, 
their  powers  have  become  very  much  modified,  and  the  au- 
thority originally  vested  in  them  has  reverted  to  the  General 
Conference,  or  been  given  to  the  annual  and  quarterly  confer- 
ences. 

6.  The  bishops  have  no  right  to  originate  a  motion  in  the 
General  or  Annual  Conferences.  Neither  have  they  a  right  to 
vote  on  any  question  pending  before  these  bodies. 

6.  They  are  held  rigidly  responsible  to  the  body  of  elders 
represented  in  the  General  Conference,  for  all  their  acts,  both 
official  and  private;  and  they  .nay  be  expelled  for  any  contact 
which  may  be  improper  in  a  bishop,  even  though  not  immoral, 
and  when  so  expelled  they  can  have  no  appeal. 

6.  In  the  interval  of  the  General  Conference  a  bishop,  if 
accused  of  crime  or  immorality,  shall  be  cited  to  appear  before 
two  presiding  elders  and  seven  other  elders  ;  or  before  two 
presiding  elders,  five  travelling  elders,  and  two  travelling 
deacons ;  these  nine  shall  form  a  court  of  inquiry,  and  if  two 
thirds  of  the  number  believe  him  guilty  they  shall  have  author- 
ity to  suspend  him  until  the  next  General  Conference. 

From  the  abovo  it  will  be  readily  perceived  that  the  Epis' 


mi 


1  KESIUING    ELDERS. 


28*) 


copacy  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  is  indeed  a  moderate 
one;  that  the  bishops  are  the  creatures  of •  the  eldership,  and 
constantly  amenable  to  it ;  and  may  at  any  time,  for  cause, 
be  deposed  from  their  high  office  and  authority ;  that,  in  fact, 
with  the  exception  of  appointing  the  preachers  to  their  respec 
tive  tields  of  labor,  they  possess  but  little  more  power — if  in- 
deed as  much — than  is  possessed  by  the  humblest  and  most 
obscure  travelling  preacher. 

SECTION  II. 


OF    THE    PRESIDING    ELDERS    AND    THEIR    DUTY 

1.  The  presiding  elders,  as  shown  in  the  preceding  section, 
are  chosen  and  stationed  by  the  bishojis,  and  like  all  other 
travelling  ministers,  are  amenable  to  the  annual  conference  of 
which  they  are  members,  for  their  private  and  official  acts. 

2.  It  is  the  duty  of  the  presiding  elder  to  take  charge  of  all 
the  elders,  deacons,  travelling  and  local  preachers  and  exhorters 
in  his  district ;  to  change,  receive,  and  suspend  preachers  in  his 
district  durinir  the  intervals  of  the  conferences,  and  in  the  ab- 
sence  of  the  bishop;  to  preside  also,  in  the  absence  of  the 
bishop — if  appointed  by  th.e  latter — in  the  annual  conference ; 
to  be  present,  as  far  as  practicable,  at  all  the  quarterly  confer- 
ences, and  preside  therein ;  to  oversee  the  spiritual  and  tem- 
poral business  of  the  church  in  his  district;  to  prouiote  the 
cause  of  Missions.  Sunday  Schools,  and  the  circulation  of  reli- 
gious books ;  to  decide  all  que'^tions  of  law  in  a  quarterly  con- 
ference, subject  to  an  appeal  to  the  president  of  the  next  annual 
conference ;  to  attend  the  bishops  when  present  in  his  district, 
and  advise  them  of  the  state  of  his  district  when  absent. 

3.  From  the  above  it  will  be  seen  that  the  presiding  elder 
is  properly  the  representative  of  the  bishop,  and  that  such  office 
is  not  only  a  responsible  one,  but  is  absolutely  necessary  to  the 
proper  government  of  the  church,  more  especially  as,  by  virtue 


288 


EPISCOPAL    METHODISM. 


of  his  office  and  by  common  consent,  the  presiding  elder  is 
made  the  adviser  of  the  bishop  in  fixing  the  appointments  of 
the  preachers,  and  in  arranging  the  boundaries  of  the  districts, 
circuits,  and  stations. 


H 


1  'li 


SECTION  III. 

OF    THE    ELECTION    AND    ORDINATION    OF    TRAVELLING    ELDERS 
AND    THEIR   DUTY,    AND    OF    THE    MODE    OF    TRYING    THEM. 

1.  A  travelling  elder  is  constituted  by  the  election  of  an 
annual  conference,  and  the  laying  on  of  the  hands  of  a  bishop 
and  some  of  the  elders  who  are  present. 

2.  The  duty  of  a  travelling  elder  is  to  administer  baptism 
and  the  Lord's  Supper,  and  to  perform  the  office  of  matrimony, 
and  all  parts  of  divine  worship,  and  to  do  all  the  duties  of  a 
travelling  preacher. 

3.  A  travellinsr  elder  is  elijjible  to  an  election  as  deleijate  to 
the  General  Conference,  and  also  to  the  Episcopacy  even  although 
he  never  has  been  a  presiding  elder ;  he  may  assist  in  the  or- 
dination of  other  elders,  and  even  of  bishops,  if  through  death, 
resignation,  or  otherwise,  there  are  no  bishops. 

4.  A  travelling  elder  is  responsible  to  his  conference  for  all 
his  private  and  official  acts,  and  by  his  conference  may  be  tried, 
suspended,  deposed,  or  expelled  from  the  church.  In  the  in- 
tervals of  an  annual  conference,  if  reported  guilty  of  some  crime, 
the  presiding  elder,  in  the  absence  of  the  bishop,  shall  call  a 
committee  of  at  least  three  travellinor  ministers,  and  investio-ate 
the  truth  of  the  report.  If  the  elder  be  clearly  convicted  of 
unchristian  conduct,  he  shall  be  suspended  from  all  ministerial 
services  and  church  privileges  until  the  next  session  of  the 
annuaC  conference.  If  the  charge  is  not  preferred  until  the 
session  of  the  conference,  the  case  may  be  referred  to  a  com- 
mittee, who  shall  keep  a  faithful  record  of  the  proceedings  and 


^^^^>m 


mmmmmmmfimmmmm 


^miiim 


TRAVELLING    ELDERS. 


289 


testimony,  and  lay  the  same  before  the  conference,  on  wliich, 
with  such  other  evidence  as  may  be  admitted,  the  case  shall  be 
decided. 

5.  In  cases  of  improper  words,  tempers,  and  actions,  the  per- 
son offending  shall  be  reprehended  by  his  senior  in  office.  On 
a  second  transgression,  two  or  three  ministers  or  preachers  are 
to  be  taken  as  witnesses.  If  not  then  cured,  he  shall  be  tried 
at  the  next  annual  conference,  and  if  guilty  and  impenitent 
shall  be  expelled  from  the  connection. 

6.  When  a  travelling  elder,  or  other  member  of  an  annual 
conference,  fails  in  business,  or  is  unable  to  pay  his  debts,  tho 
presiding  elder  shall  appoint  three  judicious  members  of  tho 
church  to  examine  into  the  state  of  his  affairs,  and  if,  in  the 
opinion  of  such  members,  the  minister  has  behaved  dishon- 
estly, or  has  contracted  debts  without  the  probability  of  paying, 
the  presiding  elder  shall  then  bring  him  before  a  committee  of 
at  least  three  ministers,  who  may  suspend  him  until  the  ensuing 
conference. 

7.  When  a  travelling  elder,  or  other  member  of  an  annual 
conference,  disseminates,  publicly  or  privately,  doctrines  which 
are  contrary  to  our  Articles  of  Religion,  the  same  process  is  to 
be  observed  as  in  cases  of  gross  immorality,  unless  the  offend- 
ing minister  shall  engage  not  to  disseminate  such  doctrines,  in 
which  case  the  offender  may  be  borne  with  until  the  next  annual 
conference. 

8.  When  a  travelling  minister  is  accused  of  being  so  unac- 
ceptable, inefficient,  or  secular,  as  to  be  no  longer  useful  as  a 
travelling  preacher,  the  annual  conference  shall  investigate  the 
case,  and  if  the  complaint  is  well  founded,  and  the  accused  will 
not  voluntarily  retire,  the  conference  may  locate  him  without 
his  consent. 

9.  Provided,  that  in  all  the  above  cases,  the  minister  so  sus- 
pended, deposed,  located,  or  expelled,  shall  be  allowed  an  ap- 
peal to  the  next  General  Conference,  if  he  signify  his  intention 
to  appeal  at  the  time  of  his  condemnation,  or  as  soon  thereafter 


200 


EPISCOPAL    METHODISM. 


as  he  is  informed  of  the  same,  and  when  the  General  Confer- 
ence shall  have  heard  both  sides  of  the  question,  they  shall 
finally  dpcide  the  whole  matter. 

10.  When  any  travelling  elder,  or  other  minister,  shall  be 
deprived  of  his  credentials,  they  shall  be  filed  with  the  papers 
of  the  annual  conference  of  which  he  was  a  member;  end 
should  he,  at  any  future  time,  give  satisfactory  evidence  of  his 
amendment,  and  procures  a  recommendation  from  a  quarterly 
or  other  annual  conference,  for  the  restoration  of  his  credentials, 
the  same  may  be  restored  to  him,  by  vote  of  the  conference  of 
which  he  was  a  member. 


SECTION  I\. 

OF    THE    ELECTION    AND  ORDINATION   OF  TRAVELLING  DEACONS, 

AND    THEIR    DUTY. 


t    ! 


1.  A  travelling  deacon  is  constituted  by  the  election  of  an 
annual  conference,  and  by  the  laying  on  of  the  hands  of  the 
bishop. 

2.  It  is  the  duty  of  the  travelling  deacon  to  baptize,  and 
perform  the  ofTice  of  matrimony,  in  the  absence  of  the  elder ;  to 
assist  the  elder  in  the  administration  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  and 
to  do  all  the  duties  of  a  travelling  preacher. 

3.  A  travelling  deacon  is  eligible  to  the  office  of  an  elder, 
after  having  travelled  two  years  as  a  deacon,  and  has  quahfied 
himself  in  the  course  of  study  prescribed  by  the  bishops. 

4.  An  accused  travellinii^  deacon  is  brouuht  to  trial  in  the 
same  manner  as  an  accused  travelling  elder ;  for  information 
in  regard  to  which,  we  refer  the  reader  to  the  preceding  seo 
tion. 


w^^m 


■>■■*■ 


*HHi« 


^mmmmmmm^mim'mmmi 


TKAVELLING    PREACHERS. 


291 


SECTION  V. 


OF  SUPERNUMERARY  AND  SUPERANNUATED  PREACHERS. 


1.  A  supernumerary  preacher  is  one  so  worn  out  in  the  itin- 
erant service,  as  to  be  rendered  incapable  of  preaching  con- 
stantly, but  at  the  same  time  is  willing  to  do  any  work  which 
the  conference  may  direct,  and  his  strength  enable  him  to  per- 
form. 

2.  A  superannuated  jireacher  is  one  so  worn  out  in  the  itin- 
erant service,  as  to  bo  considered  incapable  of  doing  any  effi- 
cient work  as  a  minister,  and  conseqiiently  receives  no  api)oint- 
ment  from  the  bishop,  but  is  at  liberty  to  go  where  he  i)leases, 
and  improve  his  time  and  remaining  strength  as  best  he  may. 

3.  None  but  regular  travelling  jireachers,  or  members  of  an 
annual  conference,  or  bishops,  can  be  supernTimerary  or  super- 
annuated, and  while  sustaining  either  of  the  above  relations, 
they  are  entitled  to  a  j^ortion  of  the  conference  funds,  and  are 
subject,  like  all  other  eflective  preachers,  to  the  conference  of 
which  they  are  members. 


/  '■*:' 


SECTION  VI. 


OF  traveltjIno  preachers,  and  their  duty. 


1.  The  term  travelling  jireachor  is  frequently  used  to  desig- 
Tiate  all  who  belong  to  the  conference,  whether  presiding  elders, 
elders,  deacons,  or  licentiates,  but  in  its  ju'cper  and  technical 
sense,  it  includes  onb'  the  latter  class,  and  in  this  sense  it  is 
used  in  this  section — to  denote  those,  who,  not  having  been  re- 
ceived into  full  connection  in  the  conference,  nor  been  ordained, 
are  on  trial,  and  are  candidates  for  the  ministerial  office. 

2.  A  travelling  preacher  is  received  on  trial  by  the  annual 


.{ 


i! 


i!   t. 


OCi-t 


EPISCOPAL    METHODISM. 


conference,  after  having  been  recommended  as  a  proper  per* 
son  by  the  quarterly  conference  of  which  he  is  a  member. 

3.  While  on  trial  in  an  annual  conference,  a  travelling 
preacher  may  be  discontinued  by  such  conference,  but  if  ac- 
cused of  crime,  the  presiding  elder  shall  call  a  committee  of 
three  local  preachers,  who  may  suspend  him,  and  the  quarterly 
conference  may  expel  him  from  the  church,  nevertheless,  he 
shall  have  an  appeal  to  the  ensuing  annual  conference. 

4.  The  duty  of  a  travelling  preacher  is  to  preach,  visit  from 
house  to  house,  meet  the  Societies,  classes,  and  bands,  visit  the 
sick,  and  in  all  respects  show  himself  to  be  a  laborer  in  the 
vineyard  of  the  Lord. 

5.  A  travelling  preacher  is  eligible  to  full  connection  in  the 
annual  conference,  and  to  deacon's  orders,  after  he  shall  have 
travelled  two  successive  years  on  trial,  and  has  qualified  him- 
self in  the  course  of  study  prescribed  by  the  bishops. 


SECTION  VII. 


OF    PREACHERS    IN    CHARGE,    AND    THEIR    DUTY. 


.'/ 


1.  A  preacher  in  charge  is  one  who  has  the  pastoral  care 
of  a  circuit  or  station.  He  may  be  either  an  elder,  deacon,  or 
preacher,  in  connection  with  the  conference  ;  or  he  may  be  a 
local  preacher  or  minister,  employed  by  the  presiding  elder  to 
fill  some  vacancy. 

2.  The  duties  of  a  preacher  in  charge  are,  to  oversee  the 
junior  preachers  on  his  circuit,  should  there  be  any  ;  to  renew 
the  tickets  for  the  admission  of  members  into  love-feast,  quar- 
terly ;  to  meet  the  stewards  and  leaders  as  often  as  possible  ; 
to  appoint  all  the  leaders,  and  change  them  when  he  sees  it 
necessary ;  to  receive,  try,  and  expel  members,  according  to 
the  form  of  discipline ;  to  hold  watch-nights  and  love-feasts ; 
to  hold  quarterly  meetings  in  the  absence  of  the  presiding 


■'J 


f 


LOCAL    ELDERS,    DEACONS,    AND    PREACHERS. 


203 


elder ;  to  take  care  that  every  Society  be  duly  supplied  with 
books ;  to  take  an  exact  account  of  the  number  of  members  in 
each  Society,  and  report  the  same  to  the  conference ;  to  give 
an  account  of  his  circuit  or  station  once  a  quarter,  to  his  pre- 
81  Jing  elder ;  to  meet  the  men  and  women  apart,  in  the  large 
Societies,  wiierever  it  is  practicable  ;  to  overlook  the  accounts 
of  the  stewards  ;  to  appoint  a  person  to  receive  the  quarterly 
collection  in  the  classes  ;  to  see  that  public  collections  be  made 
quarterly,  if  need  be ;  to  encourage  the  support  of  missions 
and  Sunday-schools,  and  the  circulation  of  bibles,  tracts,  and 
Sunday-school  books,  form  Societies,  and  make  collections  for 
those  objects.  It  is  his  duty,  also,  to  give  certificates  of  mem- 
bership to  those  about  to  remove  ;  to  enforce  all  the  rules  of 
the  Society  ;  to  read  those  rules  once  a  year  in  each  congrega- 
tion, and  once  a  quarter  in  each  Society  ;  to  recommend  arbi- 
trations in  cases  of  dispute  ;  to  appoint  committees  for  the  trial 
of  members,  and  to  preside  at  such  trials  ;  to  appoint  prayer- 
meetings  whenever  he  can,  on  his  charge ;  to  license  proper 
persons  to  exhort,  provided  he  obtains  the  consent  of  the  class, 
of  which  the  person  is  a  member,  or  of  the  leaders'  meeting. 

3.  A  preacher  in  charge,  if  a  member  of  an  annual  confer- 
ence, is  responsible  to  such  conference  for  all  his  official  acts, 
and  if  a  local  preacher,  to  the  quarterly  conference  of  which  he 
is  a  member. 


SECTION  VIII. 


OF    LOCAL    ELDERS,    DEACONS,    AND    PREACHERS. 


1.  A  local  elder  is  one,  who,  having  filled  the  office  of  a 
local  deacon  for  four  successive  years,  has  been  ordained  to  the 
eldership  by  the  election  of  an  annual  conference,  and  the  lay- 
ing on  of  the  hands  of  the  bishop  and  other  elders.  Before 
such  election  and  ordination,  it  is  necessary  that  he  be  recom- 


294 


KPISCOl'AL    AIETIU)UISM. 


mended  by  the  quarterly  conference  of  which  he  is  a  member. 
Provided,  always,  that  no  slaveholder  shall  be  eligible  to  the 
office  of  an  elder,  where  the  laws  will  allow  him  to  emancipate 
his  slaves. 

2.  A  local  deacon  is  one,  who,  havino^  filled  the  office  of  a 
local  preacher  for  four  successive  years,  has  been  elected  by  an 
annual  conference — after  proper  recommendation — and  been 
ordained  by  the  laying  on  of  the  hands  of  the  bishop.  No 
slaveholder  is  eligible  to  this  office  who  can  manumit  his  slaves. 

3.  A  local  preacher  is  one  who  has  received  license  to  preach 
from  the  quarterly  conference.  Said  license  must  be  renewed 
once  a  year,  at  least,  in  order  to  be  valid. 

4.  All  local  elders,  deacons,  or  preachers,  must  have  their 
names  recorded  in  a  class-book,  and  must  meet  in  class,  and 
when  they  remove  from  one  circuit  or  station  to  another,  they 
must  obtain  certificates  of  their  standinrj  at  the  time  of  their  re- 
moval,  before  they  can  be  received  as  members  or  preachers  in 
other  places. 

5.  When  a  travelling  preacher  is  located  or  discontinued,  be 
becomes  a  member  of  the  quarterly  conference  where  he  re- 
sides, or  where  he  has  had  his  last  appointment. 

6.  It  is  the  duty  of  local  elders  to  preach,  and  administer  the 
sacraments,  especially  in  those  places  not  visited  by  the  travel- 
ling elders  ;  of  the  local  deacons,  to  assist  in  the  administra- 
tion of  the  Lord's  Suj)per,  and  to  baptize,  <fcc.,  and  of  the  local 
jtreachers,  to  preach  wherever,  and  whenever  practicable.  It  is 
expected  of  i.'.l  local  ministers  that  they  preach  at  legist  once 
every  Sabbath-day. 

7.  The  difference  between  travelling  and  local  preachers  and 
ministers,  consists  chiefly  in  the  foct  that  the  former  give  them- 
selves wholly  to  the  work  of  the  ministry,  while  the  latter  pur- 
sue some  secular  calling  in  connection  with  the  sacred  office — 
the  former  m.ight  properly  be  called  regular  ministers,  and  the 
latter  secular  ministers. 

8.  Local  ministers  and  preachers  are  amenable  to  the  quar* 


^■p 


EXHOUTEUS,    STKWAKD8,    ETC. 


205 


(eriy  conference  for  their  private  an'^1  official  conduct,  and  if 
suspended  or  expelled  they  have  an  appeal  to  the  annual  con- 
ference, whose  decision  in  their  c;vse  is  linal.* 


SECTIOX  IX. 


OF    EXIIORTERS,    STiIWARDS,    CLASS-LEADERS,    AND    TRUSTEES. 


1.  Exhorters  are  licensed  by  tlie  preachers  in  charge,  after 
having  been  recommended  by  the  class  or  leader's  meeting. 
They  are  subject,  like  local  preachers,  to  an  annual  examina- 
tion of  character  in  the  quarterly  conference,  and  to  have  their 
licenses  renewed  by  the  presiding  elder,  if  approved  by  the 
quarterly  conference.  It  is  the  duty  of  exhorters  to  hold  meet- 
ings in  the  absence  of  a  preacher,  and  to  call  sinners  to  repent- 
ance whenever  opportunity  otl'ers.  If  accused  of  crime,  an  ex- 
horter  is  to  be  tried  by  the  Society,  or  select  number,  and  if 
guilty  may  be  expelled  by  the  preacher  in  charge,  he  having 
an  appeal  to  the  quarterly  conference. 

2.  Stewards  are  nominated  by  the  preacher  in  charge,  and 
appointed  by  the  quarterly  conference.  On  every  circuit  or 
station  thure  must  not  be  less  than  three  nor  more  than  seven 
stewards.  It  is  tlicir  duty  to  take  an  exact  account  of  all  the 
money  or  other  provision  collected  for  the  suj)[)ort  of  the 
preachers  on  the  circuit  or  station  ;  to  seek  out  the  poor  and 
needy,  and  relieve  them ;  to  ii.form  the  preachers  of  any  sick 
or  disorderly  persons ;  to  tell  the  preachers  what  they  think 
wrong  in  them;  to  attend  the  quarterly  meetings,  and  give 
advice  when  required  in  planning  the  circuit;  to  give  counsel  in 
matters  of  arbitration ;  provide  elements  for  the  Lord's  Supper ; 

*  Ministers  of  the  Methodist  Church  coining  from  Europe  or  Amer- 
ica, may  be  received  according  to  their  credential?,  by  an  annual  con- 
ference, and  ministers  from  other  evangelical  churches  may  be  received 
without  reordinatioD  by  taking  upon  them  our  ordination  vows. 


11, 

it 


M 


!|l 


till 


20(j 


El'ISCOl'AL    MKTIIODISM. 


to  write  fircular  letters  to  the  Societies  to  be  more  lib(M-al,  if 
need  be ;  to  register  baptisms  and  marriages ;  and  be  subject 
to  the  bishops  and  oth(M'  ministers  of  the  circuit  or  station. 
The  stewards  are  amenable  to  the  quarterly  conference  for  their 
official  conduct,  but  they  can  only  be  tried  by  the  Society,  or  a 
select  number,  and  if  expelled  have  an  aj)peal  to  the  quarterly 
conference. 

3.  Class-leaders  are  appointed  by  the  preacher  in  charge, 
and  are  responsible  to  him  for  the  proper  discharge  of  their 
duties.  It  is  their  duty  to  meet  their  class  once  a  week,  in 
order  to  inquire  into  the  spiritual  state  of  each  member  of  the 
same,  and  to  advise,  reprove,  comfort,  or  exhort  them  as  occa- 
sion may  require ;  to  receive  what  they  are  willing  to  give  to- 
ward the  relief  of  the  preachers,  church  and  poor,  and  to  pay 
the  same  over  to  the  stewards ;  to  meet  the  ministers  and 
stewards  once  a  week,  when  practicable,  and  inform  them  cf 
any  that  are  sick,  or  that  walk  disorderly  and  will  not  be  .e- 
proved ;  to  meet  in  quarterly  conferences,  and  be  the  spiritual 
assistants  of  the  minister  and  preachers  on  the  circuits  and 
stations.  The  usual  number  of  members  committed  to  the 
special  charge  of  a  class-leader  is  about  twelve,  although  there 
are  frequently  found  as  many  as  twenty  or  thirty  in  one  class. 
Class-leaders  are  responsible  to  the  Society  for  their  moral  and 
Christian  conduct. 

4.  Trustees.  These  are  appointed  for  the  purpose  of  holding 
in  trust  for  the  benefit  of  the  Society  in  any  given  place,  all  real 
and  personal  estate  which  may  belong  to  such  Society,  such  as 
churches,  burying-grounds,  parsonages,  parsonage  furniture,  &:c. 
According  to  the  laws  of  most  states  and  territories,  they  form  a 
body  corporate,  and  are  the  legal  representatives  of  the  Society 
whose  property  they  hold  in  trust,  and  as  such  may  sue  and 
be  sued.  Except  where  the  statutes  of  the  slates  and  tenitories 
otherwise  provide,  a  new  board  of  trustees  is  appointed  by  the 
preacher  In  charge,  or  presiding  elder  of  the  district,  and  after- 
wards, in  case  of  vacancy,  the  creacher  in  charge  shall  nominate 


TKUSIKUS. 


21>T 


persons  to  supply  such  vacancy,  and  the  roniaininj;  trueteoa 
shall  proceed  to  elect  and  conlirni  such  nomination. 

In  most  states  and  territories,  however,  statutes  are  made 
by  which  the  election  of  all  trustees  is  to  be  governed.  They 
are  generally  divided  into  three  classes,  each  class  holding  office 
for  three  years,  and  alternately  going  out  of  office  every  year. 
It  is  also  provided  that  the  church,  society,  or  congregation,  by 
a  majority  of  votes  of  the  male  members  thereof,  of  twenty-ono 
years  of  age,  shall  elect  the  necessary  immber  of  trustees. 

The  Discipline  requires  that  all  trustees  shall  have  been 
members  of  the  church  for  the  space  of  one  year  previous  to 
their  election,  and  that  they  shall  be  at  least  twenty-one  yeart. 
of  age.  They  are  responsible  to  the  quarterly  conference  for 
their  official  acts,  and  are  required  to  present  a  report  ai'.nually 
to  said  quarterly  conference,  of  their  acts  as  a  board  during  the 
preceding  year. 

It  is  the  duty  of  trustees  to  hold  sacredly  in  trust  for  the 
purposes  specitied  in  the  deed  of  conveyance,  all  properly  com- 
mitted to  their  charge,  and  to  allow  it  to  be  diverted  to  no 
other  use  or  purpose  whatsoever.  In  case  of  official  miscon- 
duct, a  trustee  may  be  removed  and  restrained  by  application 
to  the  proper  civil  court. 


CHAPTER    rV. 


OF  TIIR  GENERAL.  ANNUAL,  AND  QITARTKRLY  CONFER. 
ENCKS.  AND  OTHER  COLLECTIVE  BODIES  IN  THK 
CJIURCIL 

SECTION  I. 


OK    THE    OKNKHAL    CONFERENCE. 


1.  Til's;  Gonoral  Conference  is  coin[»osed  of  one  iiieniltcr  for 
every  tv-enty-one  tiieriiljers  of  an  annual  conference,  and  if 
there  slioukl  be  a  fraction  of  two  thirds  that  number — fijurteen 
— sucli  fraction  shall  entitle  the  conference  to  an  additional 
delegate.  Provided  always  that  no  conference  shall  be  denied 
the  privilege  of  two  delegates. 

2.  The  general  conference  is  required  to  meet  on  the  first 
day  of  May,  quadrennially,  in  such  places  as  it  shall  at  previous 
conferences  fix  upon :  but  tlie  bishops,  with  the  advice  of  all 
the  annual  conferences,  may  call  a  special  session  of  the  general 
conference  at  any  time ;  or  if  there  be  no  bishop,  the  annual 
conferences  may  call  such  a  session. 

3.  The  bishoi)s  shall  preside  in  the  general  conference,  hut 
if  there  is  no  bishop  the  conference  shall  choose  a  president, 
pro  tern.  No  j)erson  can  be  a  member  of  the  general  confer- 
ence who  lias  not  travelled  four  full  calendar  years,  and  is  in 
full  connection  in  an  annual  conference  at  the  time  of  his  elec- 
tion.  Two  thirds  of  all  the  members  elected  shall  form  a 
quorum  for  the  transaction  of  business. 

4.  The  general  conference  has  full  power  to  make  rules  and 


mm 


TIIK    GENEUAL    CONKEKENCK. 


209 


regulations  for  tho  diurcli,  luulor  certain  rostriotiuMs  and  limit- 
ations ;  (1.)  Tlioy  sliiill  not  revoke,  alter,  or  change  our  Articles 
of  lieligion,  nor  establish  any  new  standards  or  rules  of  doc- 
trine contrary  to  our  present  (fxistitiLj  ;ind  estal)lished  standards 
of  doctrine.  ('J.)  'Ihey  shall  \U)l  allow  of  more  than  one  rep- 
resentative for  everv  fourteen  mendjersof  an  annual  conference, 
nor  less  than  one  for  every  thirty.  (;j.)  Tlu-y  shall  not  change 
or  alter  any  part  or  rule  of  our  government  so  as  to  do  away 
Ej)iscopacy,  or  destroy  the  plan  of  our  itinerant  general  super- 
intendency.  (4.)  They  shall  not  n-voko  or  change  the  general 
rules  of  the  Sociijty.  (5.)  They  shall  not  do  away  the  privileges 
of  our  ministers  and  preaciiers,  of  trial  by  a  committtHi  and  of 
an  ajjpeal  ;  nor  the  privileges  of  our  members,  of  trial  before  the 
Society  or  by  a  committt'e,  and  of  an  appeal.  (0.)  They  shall 
not  appropriate  the  produce  of  the  book  concern  and  chartered 
fund  to  any  j>urj)Ose  other  than  for  t  le  beneiit  of  the  travelling, 
supernumerary,  superannuated,  ant!  worn-out  preachers,  their 
wives,  widcnvs,  and  children. 

I'rovided,  nevertheless,  that  wlien  three  fourths  of  all  the 
members  of  the  several  annual  conferences  presetit  and  voting 
shall  concur  in  recommending  any  change  in  the  above  restric- 
tions, then  a  majority  of  two  thirds  of  the  general  conference 
shall  suffice  to  alter  the  same,  excepting  the  first  Article,  relat- 
ing to  doctrine  ;  or  wlien  a  majority  of  two  thirds  of  the  general 
conference  shall  by  vote  recommend  such  alteration,  as  soon  as 
three  fourths  of  the  members  of  all  the  annual  conferences  shall 
have  concurred  therein,  such  alteration  shall  take  eftect. 

5.  The  general  conference,  according  to  the  present  ratio  of 
representation,  consists  of  about  one  hundred  and  sixty  mem- 
bers. It  a])points  its  own  secretaries,  elects  the  book  agents, 
editors,  and  missionary  secretaiies ;  tries  appeals  from  travelling 
ministers,  and  examines  strictly  the  character  and  official  acta 
of  the  bishops;  it  examines  the  journals  of  the  several  annual 
conferences,  and  either  approves  or  disapproves  of  the  same ;  it 
ereatos  new  aanaal  conferences,  and  fixes  their  bounds,  and  ap- 

21 


300 


AV 


EPISCOPAL    METHODISM. 


points  the  place  of  its  next  meeting.  After  remaining  in  session 
for  from  four  to  six  weeks,  it  adjourns  to  the  first  day  of  May  in 
four  yeai-s  thereafter. 

SECTION  11. 


P 


OF    THE    ANNUAL    CONFERENCE. 

1.  The  Annual  Conference  is  composed  of  all  the  travelling 
preachers  in  full  connection,  within  its  bounds,  each  of  whom 
has  an  equal  voice  in  the  transaction  of  business.  A  bishop, 
by  virtue  of  his  office,  is  t)ie  president  of  the  conference,  but  in 
case  of  necessary  absence,  he  may  appoint  a  substitute  from 
among  the  presiding  elders,  or  if  he  fails  to  do  so,  the  confer- 
ence may  appoint  its  own  president  from  among  the  same. 

2.  The  bishops  appoint  the  time  of  holding  the  conferences, 
and  must  allow  each  conference  to  sit  a  week,  at  least ;  the 
conference  appoints  the  place  of  its  session,  which  is  usually 
done  by  accepting  some  one  of  the  numerous  applications  sent 
up  by  Societies,  and  quarterly  conferences. 

3.  The  business  of  an  annual  conference  is,  to  admit  preach 
ers  on  trial ;  receive  preachers  into  full  connection  ;  elect  trav 
elling  and  local  preachers  to  deacons'  and  elders'  orders  ;  grant 
locations  ;  and  supernumerary  and  superannuated  relations  to 
those  who  apply  ;  examine  the  character  of  each  preacher  by 
calling  their  names  over  before  the  conference,  and  inquiring  if 
there  are  any  objections  to  them  ;  to  try  and  expel  preachers, 
if  need  be,  and  hear  appeals  from  suspended  or  expelled  local 
preachers ;  to  receive  reports  from  all  the  preachers,  of  the 
amounts  raised  for  their  salaries,  and  of  the  amount  of  money 
raised  for  the  worn-out  preachers,  widows,  and  orphans ;  for 
the  cause  of  missions,  tracts,  the  American  Bible  Society,  the 
Sunday  School  Union  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  or 
any  other  purpose  for  which  collections  have  been  ordered  by 
the  conference,  or  for  which  the  Discipline  provides. 


ip" 


m^. 


THE    QUARTERLY    CONFERENCE. 


301 


4.  The  session  of  an  annual  conference  extends  from  five  to 
ten  days,  according  to  the  number  of  members  belonging  to  it, 
and  the  amount  of  business  to  be  transacted.  The  largest 
number  in  any  one  conference  is  two  hundred  and  eighty-three, 
and  the  smallest  number  is  fifty-one. 


SECTION  III. 


OF    THE    QUARTERLY    CONFERENCE. 


1.  A  Quarterly  Conference  is  composed  of  all  the  travelling 
and  local  preachers,  exhorters,  stewards,  and  leaders  on  any 
circuit  or  station.  There  are  usually  one  or  two  travelling 
preachers,  from  one  to  six  or  eight  local  preachers,  one  or  more 
exhorters,  seven  stewards,  and  from  five  to  twenty  or  more  class- 
leaders,  belonging  to  each  quarterly  conference.  The  presiding 
elder  of  the  district  is  the  president  thereof,  or,  in  case  of  ab- 
sence, the  preacher  in  charge  is  the  responsible  president. 

2.  The  quarterly  conference  meets  four  times  in  each  year, 
and  may  adjourn  from  day  to  day  till  its  busines:  '  finished, 
but  cannot  adjourn  to  a  distant  day  for  that  purpose.  The 
presiding  elder  appoints  the  time  of  holding  the  quarterly  con- 
ference, but  the  conference  appoints  the  place  of  its  own  sit- 
tings. The  business  of  the  conference  is  orai.iarily  despatched 
in  the  course  of  a  few  hours. 

3.  It  is  the  business  of  the  quarterly  conference  to  hear  com- 
plaints against  local  preachers,  and  to  receive  and  try  appeals 
from  expelled  members  ;  to  superintend  the  interests  of  Sunday 
Schools  within  its  bounds ;  to  estimate  by  «  .ommittee  the 
amount  necessary  to  be  raised  for  fuel  and  the  table  expenses 
of  the  travelling  preacher  or  preachers  of  the  circuit  or  station  ; 
to  take  cognizance  of  all  the  local  preachers  and  exhorters  ;  to 
dppoint  stewards,  the  preacher  in  charge  having  the  right  to 
lominate ;  to  grant  licenses  to  preach  ;  to  recommend  the  re- 


il    1 


i 


T^ 


m 


•  i 


N, 


302 


EPISCOPAL    METHODISM. 


newal  of  exborters'  licenses  ;  to  recommend  to  the  annual  con- 
ference suitable  persons  for  admission  on  trial  in  the  annual 
conference ;  to  recommend  suitable  persons  to  be  ordained  as 
local  deacons  and  elders ;  to  recommend  the  re-admission  of 
located  elders  and  deacons  to  an  annual  conference  ;  to  appoint 
a  recording  steward  to  keep  all  the  records  v)f  the  quarterly 
conference  ;  to  appoint  a  district  steward  to  meet  in  convention 
and  estimate  the  amount  necessary  to  be  raised  for  the  fuel  and 
table  expenses,  house-rent,  &c.,  of  the  presiding  elder ;  to  ad- 
vise the  action  of  trustees,  and  take  all  such  steps  for  the  well- 
being  of  the  church  or  churches  within  its  bounds,  as  shall  be 
deemed  expedient  and  right. 

4.  In  all  questions  of  law,  the  presiding  elder  shall  be  the 
judge,  subject  to  an  appeal  to  the  president  of  the  next  annual 
conference,  but  the  application  of  law  shall  remain  with  the 
quarterly  conference. 


SECTION  IV. 


I    hi 


Hi  !lj 


I 


I 


il 


OF    LEADERS ,  OR    OFFICIAL    MEETINGS, 


1.  These  meetings  originally  embraced  only  the  leaders  of 
classes,  but  by  common  consent,  and  as  a  matter  of  utility,  they 
now  embrace  all  the  members  of  the  quarterly  conference,  the 
preacher  in  charge  be^ng  the  chairman  thereof. 

2.  The  official  board,  or  leaders'  meeting,  usually  meets  once 
in  each  month,  when  convenient,  or  oftener  when  necessary 
and  is  subject  at  all  times  to  the  call  of  the  preacher  in  charge. 

3.  It  is  the  business  of  the  leaders'  meeting  to  recommend 
suitable  persons  to  the  preacher  in  charge,  for  license  to  ex- 
hort ;  otherwise,  the  duties  of  the  same  are  not  very  clearly 
defined  in  the  Discipline ;  common  usage,  however,  makes  it  the 
business  of  such  meeting  to  advise  and  assist  the  preacher  in 
charge  in  the  administrati  >n  of  discipline  ;  to  recommend  suit* 


il 


I      II II"!! 


SOCIETY    AND    CLASS-MEETINGS. 


303 


able  persons,  whose  term  of  probation  has  expired  for  member- 
ship in  the  church  ;  to  attend  to  the  financial  interests  of  the 
church,  and  devise  ways  and  means  for  raising  the  allowance 
of  the  preachers,  and  to  do  all  other  business  of  an  ecclesiasti- 
cal nature,  which  may  properly  come  before  them. 


SECTION  V. 


OF    SOCIETY    AND    CLASS-MEETINGS. 


1.  These  meetings  are  frequently  held  for  the  purpose  of 
spiritual  improvement ;  to  hear  complaints  against  members, 
and  to  judge  of  the  guilt  or  innocence  of  the  accused  ;  to  judge 
of  the  qualifications  of  probationers  as  to  faith  and  doctrine, 
who  apply  for  membership  in  the  church,  and  to  transact  such 
other  business  as  may  be  referred  to  them,  either  by  the  pas- 
'or,  or  official  board.  The  preacher  in  charge  always  presides 
'a  such  meetings. 

2.  In  this  section  may  be  noticed  also  the  fact  that  a  single 
class  has  power  to  recommend  suitable  persons  to  the  preacher 
in  charge  for  license  to  exhort,  and  to  do  such  other  business 
as  properly  belongs  to  it  as  a  class.  A  preacher  or  leader  may 
preside  over  the  class  in  its  business  deliberations  ;  and  either 
the  preacher  or  leader  may  call  a  meeting  of  the  class  at  any 
time,  although  the  members  of  the  class  are  not  obliged  to  at- 
tend such  a  call  more  than  once  a  week. 


mm 


CHAPTER  V. 


OP    mE  PUBLIC  AND  SOCIAL  MEANS  OF  GRACE. 


SECTION  I. 


W 


ill 


OF    PUBLIC    WORSHIP. 

1.  Public  worship  on  the  Lord's  day  consists  of  singing, 
frayer — conchuling  with  the  Lord's  prayer — reading  the  Scrip- 
tures of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments,  singing,  preaching,  sing- 
ing, prayer,  and  the  benediction. 

2.  On  the  evening  of  the  Lord's  day,  and  on  other  days  of 
the  week,  the  same  order  is  observed,  excepting  the  reading  of 
the  Scriptures. 

3.  In  administering  the  ordinances  of  baptism  and  the  Lord's 
Supper,  the  forms  prescribed  in  the  DiscipHne,  and  prepared  by 
Mr.  Wesley,  are  invariably  used.  These  forms  are  short  but 
comprehensive,  and  are  merely  abbreviations  of  those  found  in 
the  Book  of  Common  Prayer  of  the  Church  of  England.  It  is 
thought  by  many,  that  the  form  relating  to  baptism  needs  re- 
vision, as  it  seems  to  endorse  the  dogma  of  baptismal  regenera 
tion,  which  is  certainly  not  the  doctrine  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church.  In  the  burial  of  the  dead,  and  the  solemniza- 
tion of  matrimony,  the  forms  prescribed  in  the  Discipline  are 
generally  but  not  always  used. 

4.  Public  worship  is  usually  held  each  Sabbath  on  stations, 
once  in  two  weeks  on  circuits,  and  occasionally  on  week  eve- 
nings.    Preaching  at  four  or  five  o'clock  in  the  morning — so 


-V  T" 


MP 


■'P^PI 


CLASS-MEETINOS. 


805 


much  the  practice  in  Mr.  Wesley's  time,  and  in  the  earlier 
days  of  Methodism — has,  in  the  United  States,  very  genei;ally 
fallen  into  disuse. 

5.  The  rule  of  discipline  requiring  the  men  and  women  to 
sit  apart  in  all  our  churches,  is  fast  becoming  obsolete,  especially 
in  such  churches  as  are  built  with  pews  or  slips,  to  sell  or  rent. 
It  is  found  most  convenient,  in  large  places,  for  families  to  be 
seated  together,  and  we  may  express  the  hope  that  a  rule 
which  cannot  be  enforced,  and  which  has  no  scriptural  war- 
rant nor  precedent,  will  be  expunged  I'lom  the  pag'e  of  disci- 
pline. 

SECTION  II. 

OP    CLASS-MEETINGS. 


1.  These,  according  to  discipline,  are  required  to  be  held 
weekly,  in  every  place.  The  object  of  class-meetings  is  to  in- 
<iuire  into  the  spiritual  state  of  each  member  of  the  class,  and 
to  advise,  reprove,  comfort,  and  exhort,  as  occasion  may  require. 
There  are  usually  about  twelve  persons  in  a  class,  although 
there  are  frequently  found  twenty,  thirty,  or  more. 

2.  The  exercises  of  class-meeting  consist  of  singing,  prayer, 
and  the  relation  of  Christian  experience.  These  meetings  are 
of  immense  importance  to  the  church,  and  cannot  be  neglected 
without  detriment  to  its  spiritual  interests,  but  whether  Mr. 
Wesley  ever  designed  to  establish  class-meetings  as  a  term  or 
condition  of  church-memhersh'ip^  is  a  question  which  has  not 
been  largely  discussed,  nor  finally  settled.  One  thing  appears 
to  be  certain,  namely  ;  that  all  Methodists  who  enjoy  a  sense 
of  the  pardoning  favor  of  God,  love  class-meetings,  even  though 
they  are  but  a  prudential  means  of  grace,  and  on  the  other 
hand,  a  wilful  neglect  of  class-meetings  is  an  almost  certain  in- 
dication of  a  low  state  of  religious  enjoyment. 

3.  Strangers — that  is,  persons  not  members  of  the  church  or 


"* 


r^'- 


306 


EPISCOPAL    METHODISM. 


Society — may  be  adniitted  to  the  privileges  of  class-meeting 
twice  or  thrice,  but  not  oftener,  without  violating  the  rules  of 
the  Society.  This  rule  may  be  considered  by  many  as  savoring 
too  much  of  a  spirit  of  sectarianism,  but  when  the  nature  and 
design  of  a  class-meeting  is  duly  considered,  we  feel  persuaded 
that  none  but  the  bigoted  and  uncharitable  will  object  to  them 
on  that  account.  Indeed,  the  design  of  class-meetings  would 
be  completely  frustrated  if  all  of  every  cli.ss,  whether  pious  or 
ungodly,  were  admitted  thereto.  Even  members  of  the  Meth- 
odist Church  have  no  ecclesiastical  or  conventional  right  to 
meet  in  any  class  but  their  own,  without  the  permission  of  the 
leader. 

4.  Leaders  are  required  frequently  to  meet  each  other's 
classes.  The  object  of  thi!:«  rule  is  to  give  the  members  of  the 
different  classes  the  benefit  of  the  advice  and  coun«fl  of  the 
various  leaders,  and  to  prevent  as  far  as  possible  a  spirit  of 
formality. 

SECTION  III. 

OF    BAND    MEETINGS. 

1.  Two,  three,  or  four  true  believers,  who  have  confidence  in 
each  other,  form  a  band  ;  and  in  each  band  all  must  be  men, 
or  all  women ;  and  all  must  be  married,  or  all  single.  The 
bands  meet  once  a  week  to  converse  on  purely  spiritual  matters, 
and  to  help  each  other  in  the  way  to  heaven,  by  complying 
with  that  command  of  God,  expressed  by  the  apostle  James, 
"  Confess  your  faults  one  to  another,  and  pray  one  for  another, 
that  ye  may  be  healed."  The  members  of  the  band  pledge 
themselves  to  abstain  from  all  sin,  and  zealously  to  maintain 
good  works. 

2.  Belonging  to  a  band  is  perfectly  voluntary  on  the  part  of 
all  the  members.  Indeed,  none  but  the  decidedly  pious  and 
devoted  can  have  any  desire  to  meet  therein.     The  band  meet- 


; 


■p^ 


^^m 


of 


PKAYER-MEKTINGS. 


3or 


.ngs  differ  much  in  their  nature  and  design  from  the  auricular 
confessionals  of  the  Church  of  liome ;  the  latter  being  com- 
posed of  the  priest  and  a  single  supposed  penitent,  the  former 
of  a  few  believers. 

3.  These  band  meetings  are  frequent  in  large  Societies,  but 
it  is  deeply  to  be  regretted  that  they  have  fallen  so  much  into 
disuse  in  most  places;  as  all  who  have  belonged  to  them  can 
testify  to  their  utility  as  a  prudential  means  of  grace. 


SECTION  IV. 


OF    PRAYER-MEETINGS. 


1.  These  are  held  semi-weekly,  or  oftener,  in  netrly  every 
place  where  Societies  are  established.  Sunday  and  Thursday 
evenings  are  usually  selected  for  the  above  meetings  in  the 
Methodist  Church.  These  meetings  are  nearly,  if  not  quite  as 
important  to  the  interests  of  true  religion  in  the  Methodist 
Church  as  class-meetings,  and  should  not  be  dispensed  with  for 
trivial  considerations. 

2.  The  exercises  of  prayer-morMngs  consist  principally  of 
singing,  prayer,  and  exhortation,  ir  which  all  the  members, 
male  and  female,  are  expected  to  tak  \  a  part.  The  doctrine  of 
the  Methodist  Church  in  relation  to  ftr^ale  speaking  and  pray- 
ing is,  that  while  it  is  manifestly  impYpv)er  for  "a  woman  to 
speak  in  the  church,"  in  relation  to  churc\  business;  and  that, 
while  on  all  matters  of  a  temporal  characCt.  or  others  where 
dictation  and  governing  are  required,  the  worat  ^  should  "  learn 
to  keep  silence  in  the  churches,"  yet  in  matters  t  *^  a  purely  re- 
ligious character,  in  the  social  meetings  of  the  churc^«,  it  is  not 
only  their  privilege  but  their  duty  to  improve  tfc,  talents 
which  God  has  given  them,  by  singing,  prayer,  and  e.  \orta- 
tion.  Indeed,  in  all  revivals  of  religion  it  has  been  found  that 
the  women  are  among  the  most  efficient  li^bofers,  and  the  p»  wt 


308    " 


EM8COPAL    MKTHOUISM. 


h 


honored  instruments  in  the  conversion  of  souls ;  and  we  hope 
the  diiy  is  far  distant  when  in  the  Methodist  Church  it  will  be 
considered  unfashionable  or  unusual  for  a  pious  female  to  pray 
or  exhort  in  a  Methodist  social  meeting.  If  such  a  day  ever 
dvBs  arrive  "  Ichabod"  may  be  inscribed  upon  the  title-page  of 
her  history. 

SECTION  V. 

OF    LOVE-FEASTS. 

1.  Love-feasts  were  instituted  by  Mr.  Wesley  in  an  early 
day  in  the  history  of  Methodism.  He  derived  the  idea  from 
the  Moravians,  or  United  Brethren,  one  of  whose  lovo-f^^aste  he 
had  the  privilege  of  attending ;  and  since  their  institution  by 
Mr.  Wesley  they  have  always  been  considered  as  an  essentiii 
part  of  Methodist  usages,  and  have  for  many  years  b((en  con- 
nected with  each  quarterly  meeting  as  an  interesting  part  of 
the  same.  They  are  held  quarterly,  or  oftener,  as  occasion 
may  require. 

2.  The  exercises  of  a  love-feast  are  singing,  prayer,  partaking 
of  bread  and  water  as  a  token  of  Christian  fellowship  and  love, 
and  the  relation  of  Christian  experience.  These  meetings  are 
hailed  with  delight  by  every  Methodist,  and  no  marvel,  for  if 
there  is  one  place  on  earth  more  like  heaven  than  another,  it 
is  an  old-fashioned  Methodist  love  feast,  where  the  members, 
worshipping  God  "  under  their  own  vine  and  fig-tree,"  with  all 
intruders  and  spies  shut  out,  have  "  none  to  molest  or  make 
afraid,"  and  where  each  member,  in  simplicity  and  honesty, 
may  declare  what  the  Lord  has  done  for  his  soul.  The  speeches, 
on  such  occasions,  are  necessarily  short,  and  are  directly  to  the 
point  of  present  Christian  experience  and  enjoyment.  Fre- 
quently as  many  as  eiglity  or  a  hundred  persons,  in  few  words, 
express  their  gratitude  to  God  in  the  course  of  a  single  hour, 
*^«»sides  occasional  singing. 


'1  '■ 


t.-- 


CAMP-MEETINGS. 


309 


3.  These  meetings,  as  to  time,  ai'e  limited  expressly  by  the 
Discipline  to  an  hour  and  a  half.  A  similar  rule  exists  in  rela- 
tion to  admitting  strangers  not  more  than  twice  or  thrice  to 
love-feasts,  as  exists  in  relation  to  class-meetings,  and  for  the 
same  or  similar  reasons.  'J'he  preacher  in  charge,  by  virtue  of 
his  office,  is  required  to  hold  love-feasts,  but  by  common  con- 
sent the  presiding  elder,  when  present,  invariably  presides 
durinsr  such  occasions. 


SECTION  VI. 


OF    CAMP-MEETINGS. 

1.  These  appendages  to  American  Methodism  originated,  as 
stated  in  the  historical  part  of  this  work,  in  the  year  1799,"* 
among  the  Methodists  and  Presbyterians  in  Kentucky,  l^y  the 
latter  church  they  have  long  since  been  abandoned,  as  unsuited 
to  their  views  of  order  and  propriety ;  while  by  the  Methodists 
they  have  been  retained  as  a  highly  useful  and  interesting 
means  of  doing  good. 

2.  Camp-meetings  are  usually  held  annually,  in  the  summer 
or  autumn,  in  a  grove  or  forest  in  some  central  or  convenient 
place,  where  water,  pasturage,  &c.  may  be  obtained.  The 
ministers  and  members  from  different  parts  of  a  presiding 
elder's  district,  and  frequently  of  two  adjoining  districts,  and 
from  a  distance  of  ten,  twenty,  thirty,  and  even  fifty  miles, 
assemble  together  in  one  place  to  enjoy  this  "feast  of  taber 
nacles."  They  bring  with  them  their  canvass  tents,  provisions, 
&c.  &c.  The  snow-white  tents  are  arranged  in  a  circular  forro 
around  the  camp  ground.  At  one  end  is  the  "  stand,"  or  pul- 
pit, fitted  up  so  as  to  accommodate  twenty  or  thirty  ministers 
with  seats.  In  front  of  the  stand  is  an  enclosure  called  the 
"  ».ltar,"  fitted  up  with  seats  for  any  that  may  be  seeking  the 

♦  '^ome  authors  state  1197.     We  have  taken  Bang's  date. 


310 


EPISCOPAL    MKTHODISM. 


pardon  of  sin.  Beyond  the  '^'♦ur,  and  in  front  of  the  stand,  are 
arranged,  in  pro])er  order,  seats  for  the  congregation,  who, 
when  seated,  are  surrounded  on  all  sides  by  the  circle  of  tents. 
The  rear  of  the  tents  is  devoted  to  culinary  purposes,  while  in 
the  interior  of  the  circle,  during  religious  services,  nothing  is 
expected  to  take  i)lace  unbecoming  the  sanctity  of  a  place  of 
worship.  The  exercises  consist  of  preaching  four  or  five  times 
each  day,  interspersed  with  prayer,  singing,  exhortation,  Ac.- 
The  meeting  usually  lasts  five  or  six  days,  and  on  the  morning 
of  the  hust  day  of  the  meeting  a  love-feast  is  held,  and  fre- 
quently the  Lord's  Supper  is  administered ;  and  before  dispers- 
ing it  is  customary  for  all  the  congregation  present  to  march 
round  within  the  circle  of  tents,  in  solemn  procession,  singing 
appropriate  farewell  hymns.  After  marching  round  once  or 
twice,  the  ministers  arrange  themselves  in  front  of  the  stand, 
and  receive  the  parting  adieu  of  each  person  who  passes  before 
them.  This  "  parting  scene"  is  usually  very  solemn  and  aft'ect- 
ing,  and  those  who  can  refrain  from  weeping  under  these  cir- 
cumstances are  favored  with  stronger  nerves  than  usually  fall 
to  the  lot  of  humanity.  Many,  who  having  participated  in  the 
previous  exercises  of  the  camp-meeting  without  much  apparent 
conviction,  have  during  this  closing  scene  been  pricked  to  the 
heart,  and  been  forced  to  beg  the  prayers  of  God's  people  be- 
fore leaving  the  ground.  After  the  benediction  has  been  pro- 
nounced by  the  presiding  elder  or  senior  preacher,  all  retire  to 
their  homes  better  qualified  than  before  to  labor  for  the  con- 
version of  souls.  Thousands,  no  doubt,  are  every  year  convert- 
ed to  God  through  the  instrumentality  of  these  means  of  grace. 

SECTION  VII. 

OF    WATCH-NIGHT    MEETINGS. 

1.  These  meetings  were  instituted  by  Mr.  Wesley.     Before 
their  conversion  to  Methodism  the  colliers  of  Cornwall,  England, 


Pl^ 


f^m 


wm 


PROTRACTED    AND    OTHER    MEETINOS. 


311 


wcie  accustomed  to  spend  every  Saturday  night,  to  a  Into  hour, 
at  the  {',le-house,  or  tavern,  drinking,  swearing,  and  carousing. 
After  having  been  convL'Vted,  through  the  hiburs  of  Whitetield 
and  Wesley,  the  hitter  was  provitluntially  led  to  substitute  the 
chapel  for  the  ale-house,  and  prayer  and  praise  for  oaths  and 
blasphemy.  These  meetings  were  held  generally  once  a  month, 
at  the  time  of  the  full  moon,  and  subse([UL'ntly  were  introduced 
into  all  the  Societies  in  England.  In  America,  watch-nights 
have  been  confined  to  two  evenings  in  the  year — Christmas  and 
New  Year's  eve — and  are  usually  seasons  of  great  spiritual 
profit. 

2.  The  exercises  at  such  meetings  vary  according  to  circum- 
stances. On  New  Year's  eve  it  is  customary  to  have  one  or  two 
sermons,  interspersed  with  other  appropriate  exercises.  As  the 
hour  of  twelve  passes  away  all  are  kneeling  in  sulemn  silent 
prayer  before  God,  and  as  the  old  year  becomes  lost  in  eternity, 
and  time  gives  birth  to  a  new  one,  each  Christian  heart  is  being 
laid  upon  the  altar  in  the  act  of  self-consecration.  At"ter  silent 
prayer,  a  New  Year's  hymn  of  praise  is  sung,  salutations  are  ex- 
changed, and  the  worshippers  return  to  their  homes,  profited 
and  blest  by  the  interview. 


SECTION  VIII. 


OF    PROTRACTED    AND    OTHER    MEETINGS. 


1.  At  an  early  day  in  the  history  of  American  Methodism, 
two-days'  meetings  were  quite  common,  and  were  seasons  of 
great  power  and  spiritual  refreshing.  As  time  elapsed,  these 
meetings  were  continued  to  three,  four,  and  five  days.  Still 
later,  days  gave  place  to  weeks  and  even  to  months  of  con 
tinued  efibrt  for  the  salvation  of  souls,  so  that  now  it  is  by  no 
means  a  strange  thing  among  the  Methodists  for  a  protracted 
meeting  to  be  continued  during  the  greater  part  of  fall  or 


.312 


EPI800FAL    MRTHODISM. 


winter;  during  these  meetings  Iiundreils  are  frequently  con- 
verted to  (Jod ;  and  although  it  is  to  h(^  regretted  that  the 
churcli,  as  well  as  the  unconvertt^d  in  many  jdaoes,  scarcely  ex- 
pect a  revival  of  religion  exce})t  in  connection  with  such  meet- 
ings, yet  it  hy  no  means  follows  that  such  extra  efforts  sliould 
be  dispensed  with,  but  rather  continued  from  year  to  year,  and 
from  place  to  place,  "if  by  any  means  w     May  save  some." 

2.  The  meetinjjs  of  the  i^eneral  and  vl  conferencos  are, 
more  or  less,  rendered  a  blessing  to  the  places  where  they  are 
held,  as  in  connection  with  them  there  is  much  precious  seed 
sown,  which  must  sooner  or  later  produce  abundant  fruit.  Still 
it  is  a  question,  whether  less  preaching  and  more  of  the  social 
means  would  not  be  more  profitable  at  such  seasons.  Our  own 
opinion  is,  tiiat  at  every  session  of  an  annual  conference  not 
only  should  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper  be  administer- 
ed, but  a  ministerial  love-feast,  in  accordance  with  the  rule  of 
Discipline,  should  bo  hold,  in  Wiiich,  of  course,  the  laity  should 
be  invited  to  participate.  These,  in  connection  with  prayer- 
meetings,  or  a  conference  general  class  meeting,  would,  in  our 
humble  opinion,  do  more  good  than  a  contirmed  round  of 
preaching,  even  by  the  greatest  and  best  of  men. 

3.  The  meetings  of  district  ministerial  associations  are  be- 
coming  quite  frequent,  and  are  productive  of  great  good,  not 
only  to  the  ministers  themselves,  but  to  the  people  wliore  the 
sittings  are  lield.  So  far  as  the  author  has  been  able  to  obtain 
authentic  information  in  regard  to  the  origin  of  these  associa- 
tions, Potsdam  district,  lilack  River  Conference,  lias  the  honor 
of  being  the  first  district  in  the  connection  to  form  a  regularly 
organized  district  ministerial  association.  This  occurred  in  the 
fall  of  183G.  Rev.  John  Loveys,  being  presiding  elder,  was  the 
first  president,  and  Rev.  Jesse  T.  Peck — now  Dr.  Peck — was 
the  first  secretary,  the  author  and  others  cf  his  brethren,  being 
members  of  the  said  association.  Since  that  period,  district 
ministerial  associations  have  been  organized  in  different  districts 
and  conferences,  and  we  may  hope,  from   liie  experience  we 


I'KOTKACTKI)    AND    OTIIKU    MKKTINOS. 


313 


have  had  of  thoir  utility,  directly  and  indirectly,  that  tliey  will 
bo  continued  and  niultij)lied  throughout  the  connection.  At 
those  meetings  sermons  are  preached,  essays  read,  examinations 
held,  discussions  intrc  luced,  resolutions  passed,  and  experience 
related.  On  the  wliule,  thev  are  a  source  of  intellectual  and 
Fj'iritual  profit,  and  we  can  but  hope  that  they  will  become 
a  common  thing  among  us,  be  universally  adopted,  and  bo 
properly  and  prudently  conducted. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

OF  THE  SUPPORT  OF  THE  MINISTRY  AND  FINANCIAL 
INTERESTS  OF  METHODISM. 

SECTION  I. 


OF   THE    ANNUAL    ALLOWANCE    TO    MINISTERS. 

1.  The  annual  allowance  of  the  bishops  in  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  is  as  follov.s  :  If  unmarried,  one  hundred 
dollars  and  his  travelling  expenses ;  if  married,  two  hundred 
dollars  and  his  travelling  expenses ;  if  he  have  children,  for 
each  child  under  seven  years  of  age,  sixteen  dollars  ;  and  for 
each  child  over  seven,  and  under  fourteen,  twenty-four  dollars 
annually.  Besides  the  above  allowance,  the  bishops  are  al- 
lowed an  amount  annually  for  house-rent,  fuel,  and  table  ex- 
penses. The  latter  amount  is  estimated  as  follows  :  each  an- 
nual conference  within  whose  bounds  a  bishop  may  reside,  ap- 
points a  committee,  annually,  of  three  or  more,  whose  duty  it 
is  to  estimate  the  amount  necessary  to  furnish  a  house,  fuel, 
and  provision,  for  the  bishop.  This  amount  will  of  course  differ 
according  to  the  size  of  the  bishop's  family,  and  the  place 
where  he  may  reside,  as  house-rent,  fuel,  (fee,  may  be  much 
greater  in  some  places  than  in  others.  The  last  amount,  when 
estimated,  is  drawn  from  the  funds  of  the  book  concern  in  New 
York  and  Cincinnati,  while  each  annual  conference  is  required 
to  bear  its  proportionate  part  of  the  former  amount,  including 
salary  and  travelling  expenses. 

2.  Thi^  annual  allowance  of  the  presiding  elders  is  the  same 
as  that  of  the  bishops,  and  is  raised  as  follows  :  There  is  an 
annual  meeting  in  each  presiding  elder's  district,  of  one  steward 


^^m 


ANNUAL    ALLOWANCE    TO    MINISTERS. 


315 


I 


from  each  station  and  circuit,  who  is  appointed  by  a  previous 
ouarterly  conference.  These  district  stewards  estimate  the 
amount  necessary  to  furnish  a  house,  fuel,  and  table  expenses, 
and  apportion  his  entire  claim,  including  his  salary  and  travel- 
ling expenses,  among  the  different  circuits  and  stations  in  his 
district,  according  to  their  ability.  When  such  an  apportion- 
ment has  been  made,  if  there  should  be  a  deficiency  in  the  re- 
ceipts of  any  preacher  in  his  district,  he  must  share  his  propor- 
tionate loss  of  such  deficiency  ;  and  if  all  receive  their  full  claim, 
the  presiding  elder  receives  his,  thus  sharing  with  each  preacher 
in  proportion  to  what  the  latter  receives. 

3.  The  annual  allowance  of  all  the  travelling  ministers  and 
preachers  is  the  same  as  that  of  the  bishops  and  presiding 
elders,  and  is  raised  in  the  following  manner  :  The  quarterly 
conference  aj)points  a  committee  to  estimate  the  amount  neces- 
sary to  furnish  a  house,  fuel,  and  table  expenses  of  the  preacher 
or  preachers  who  may  be  sent  to  them.  The  sum  estimated 
by  the  committee,  if  approved  by  the  quarterly  conference,  is 
either  raised  by  subscription,  slip-rent,  or  voluntary  contribu- 
tion. The  penny-a-week  system,  which  obtains  so  largely 
among  the  Methodists  in  England,  has  not  succeeded  to  any 
great  extent  in  the  United  States. 

4.  Local  preachers  have  an  allowance  in  certain  cases. 
Where  they  preach  only  on  the  Sabbath,  and  spend  their 
week-days  in  pursuing  their  secular  business,  they  do  not  ex- 
pect any  remuneration,  unless  they  are  very  poor ;  but  where 
they  spend  any  considerable  portion  of  their  week-time  in  the 
service  of  the  church,  and  are  employed  by  the  presiding  elder 
to  fill  the  vacancy  of  a  travelling  preacher,  tliey  are  entitled  to 
the  same  allowance  as  a  travelling,  preacher. 

5.  In  making  the  estimates  for  travelling  and  table  expenses, 
the  various  committees — except  it  may  be  in  the  case  of  bish- 
ops— are  scarcely  ever  governed  by  the  rule — How  much  will 
it  take  to  supply  the  preacher  and  his  family  with  provisions, 
and  his  horse  with  provender  ?  but — How  much  can  we  raise  ? 


O 


02 


310  EPISCOPAL    METHODISM. 

In  the  former  case  two  hundred — perhaps  three,  or  more- 
would  be  thought  necessary  ;  in  the  latter,  sometimes  but  half 
the  necessary  sum  is  estimated.  We  have  known  the  estimate 
for  the  table  expenses  of  a  preacher  with  a  wife  and  three  or 
four  children,  to  be  as  low  as  thirty  dollars,  with  nothing  for 
travelling  expenses  !  Such  an  estimate  is  a  mere  evasion  of 
the  disciplinary  requirement,  and  ought  to  be  discountenanced 
by  every  preacher,  steward,  and  leader  in  the  church.  The 
true  policy  appears  to  be,  to  estimate  what  is  actually  neces- 
sary for  the  above  purposes,  and  if  the  circuit  or  station  cannoi, 
or  will  not  raise  it,  as  all  know,  the  members  are  not  holden  as 
in  case  of  debt.  In  making  such  estimates,  committees  should 
always  inquire  how  much  of  each  article  their  preacher  will 
probably  need.  We  will  suppose  he  has  a  wife  and  four  chil- 
dren, and  is  under  the  necessity  of  keeping  a  servant-girl. 
Such  a  family  will  consume,  in  the  course  of  the  year,  at  least 
40  bushels  of  Wheat,    at$l  00       ...'..     $40  00 

30      "        "    Potatoes,  at       25 7  60 

200     lbs.  Butter,     at       12^ 25  00 

100      "  Cheese,    at         6^ 6  25 

200      "  Meat,      at       10 20  00 

Groceries,  &c.  &c., 30  00 

Fuel, 20  00 

Hay,  and  provender  for  horse  .     .       50  00 
Incidentals, 1  25 

$200  00 
Add  to  the  above  his  salary,  out  of  which  he  must  find 
himself  and  his  far  ily  in  clothing,  schooling,  books, 
periodicals,  postage,  medicine,  medical  attendance, 
help,  wear  of  carriage,  horse,  harness,  crockery,  furni- 
ture, &c., 280  00 

To  this  should  be  added  the  claim  of  the  presiding 

elder,  say  $40, 40  00 

Aggregate  of  the  whole, $520  00 


ANNUAL    ALLOWANCE    TO    MINISTERS. 


317 


By  adopting  some  such  raethod  of  estimating  a  preacher's 
claim,  committees  would  arrive  at  a  more  correct  conclusion 
than  they  generally  do,  and  instead  of  our  preachers  being 
obliged — as  is  sometimes  the  case — literally  to  beg  a  living,  they 
would  have  enough,  and  nothing  more ;  but  as  long  as  the 
present  wretched  policy  of  making  estimates  is  pursued,  the 
church  must  expect  to  lose,  from  year  to  year,  some  of  her  best 
ministers,  for  the  good  and  sufficient  reason,  that  they  do  not, 
and  cannot,  as  parents  and  husbands,  consent  to  see  their  fam- 
ilies in  want,  as  long  as  it  is  written,  "  He  that  provideth  not 
for  his  own  house,  hath  denied  the  faith,  and  is  worse  than  an 
infidel." 

6.  The  annual  allowance  of  the  supernumerary,  superannu- 
ated, or  worn-out  {Teachers  is  the  same  as  that  of  the  effective 
travelling  preachers  and  bishops.  The  superannuated  preach- 
ers, however,  receive  nothing  for  table  expenses,  house-rent,  and 
fuel.  Their  allowance,  paltry  as  it  is,  is  scarcely  ever  paid 
them  in  full ;  what  is  paid,  is  raised  partly  from  the  fifth  col- 
lection, and  partly  from  the  proceeds  of  the  book  concern,  and 
chartered  fund. 

7.  The  widows  and  orphans  of  deceased  preachers  are  also 
allowed  one  hundred  dollars  for  the  widow,  and  the  same 
amount  for  each  child,  as  before  mentioned,  but  nothing  foi 
table,  travelling  expenses,  house-rent,  or  fuel. 

8.  The  fifth  collection — so  called  because  it  usually  comes 
after  the  four  quarterly  collections — is  required  by  discipline  to 
be  taken'up  on  each  circuit  or  station  in  the  conneotion,  once 
in  each  year.  This  collection,  in  the  year  1850,  in  all  the  con- 
ferences, amounted  to  $15,750,  or  an  average  of  $543  to  each 
conferer-ce. 

The  proceeds  of  the  Book  Concern,  for  the  same  year, 
amounted  to  $17,400,  or,  $600  to  each  conference. 

The  proceeds  of  the  chartered  fund,  for  the  same  year, 
amounted  to  $1,885,  or  $65  to  each  conference. 

The  income  from  all  other  sources,  such  as  ten-cent  coUec- 


318 


\ 


EPISCOPAL    METHODISM. 


tions,  legacies,  interest  on  conference  funds,  <fec.  &c.,  amounted 
to  about.  $6,200.  The  whole  making  an  aggregate  of  $41,135. 
This  sum  at  first  sight  appears  large,  but  if  it  is  divided  by  the 
number  of  superannuated  preachers,  and  widows,  and  orphans, 
in  the  connection,  it  will  be  found  that  but  a  portion  of  their 
disciplinary  allowance  is  given  to  these  worthy  claimants  on 
the  funds  of  the  church. 

The  number  of  superannuated  preachers  returned  on  the 
minutes  of  conference  for  1850  is  352. 

The  number  of  widows  returned  on  the  same  minutes,  as 
nearly  as  we  can  ascertain,  is  275. 

The  number  of  orphan  children  depending  on  the  same 
funds,  more  or  less,  cannot  be  less  than  300. 

In  addition  to  the  above  claimants,  the  bishops  must  receive 
their  portion  of  the  funds,  which  amounted  in  1850 — with  the 
allowance  to  a  bishop's  widow — to  $1,813,  or  $02.53  to  each 
conference.  If  we  add  together  the  above  number  of  claim- 
ants,  and  divide  the  gross  receipts,  we  shall  find  that  the  aver- 
age dividend  to  each  claimant  is  $44,  and  a  fraction.  But  as 
each  one  receives  in  proportion  to  the  number  in  the  family, 
and  the  age  of  the  child,  or  children,  the  actual  receipts  differ 
greatly  from  the  average  to  each.  Hence,  in  the  minutes,  we 
find  that  the  lowest  amount  given  to  any  one  orphan  is  one 
dollar  and  twenty-eight  cents  !  or  about  eight  per  cent,  on  their 
claim  of  sixteen  dollars  !  In  the  same  cosiference,  widows  with 
probably  one  or  two  children,  received  the  sum  of  $10.70,  as 
an  annual  allowance,  and  the  greatest  amount  to  any  one 
superannuated  preacher,  in  the  same  conference,  was  $26.53, 
and  this  "  worn-out"  man  probably  had  a  wife,  and  six  or  seven 
children.  On  the  other  hand,  the  Genesee  Conference  had  the 
honor  of  paying  up  the  claims  of  the  su})erannuated  preachers, 
the  widows  and  orphans,  in  1850,  each  married  man  having 
received  $200,  with  the  full  allowance  for  children.  Both  of 
these  cases,  however,  are  extreme  ones,  and  the  probability  is. 


-ft™ 


CHURCHES,    ANU    ottoiiv^H    PROPERTY. 


SIS 


tliat  not  more  than  fifty  per  cent.,  on  an  average,  is  realized 
from  these  funds,  to  support  the  various  claimante. 

It  should  be  remembered,  also,  that  if  an  effective  travelling 
preacher  receives  less  on  his  circuit  than  would  amount  to  the 
dividend  of  the  worn-out  m.en — let  it  be  more  or  less — he  is 
entitled  to  have  the  deficiency  of  per  centage  made  up,  so  that 
his  gross  receipts  for  the  year  shall  equal  theirs.  This  should 
be  remembered,  for  two  reasons.  (1.)  Mnny  think  that  if  an 
effective  preacher  fails  to  receive  his  allowance  on  his  circuit, 
the  deficiency  will  all  be  made  up  from  the  conference  funds ; 
this  is  a  mistake.  (2.)  If  a  circuit  or  station  allow  their 
preacher  to  remain  unpaid,  for  the  above  reason,  they  are  tak- 
ing bread  from  the  mouths  of  the  aged  and  infirm  preachers, 
and  from  the  widow  and  the  orphan 

We  have  thus  stated  as  fully  as  possible  the  polity  of  the 
church,  and  the  requirements  of  the  Discipline,  in  relation  to 
the  allowance  of  ministers. 


SECTION  II. 

OF    CHURCHES,    AND    CHURCH    PROPERTY. 

1.  Churches,  chapels,  meeting-houses,  and  parsonages,  built 
for  the  use  or  occupancy  of  the  members  and  preachers  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  are  invariably  deeded  to  the  trus- 
tees of  the  local  church  or  Society  erecting  or  purchasing  tho 
same.  Some  have  embraced  the  idea  that  all  such  property  is 
deeded  either  to  the  bishops,  or  preachers ;  or  to  the  general 
or  annual  conferences.  This,  however,  is  a  mistake,  in  regard 
to  which  any  one  may  satisfy  himself,  who  will  examine  the 
subject. 

2.  The  trustees — as  stated  in  a  previous  chapter — are  re- 
quired to  hold  the  property  for  the  purpose  for  which  it  was 
erected,  purchased,  or  donated,  which  purpose  is,  that  the 


•■A,y 


520 


J 


EPISCOPAL   METHODISM. 


members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  may  use  the  same 
as  a  place  of  worship,  according  to  the  rules  and  discipline  of 
the  church  ;  and  in  further  trust,  that  they  shall  always  permit 
the  ministers  and  preachers  of  such  church,  who  may  be  duly 
appointed  by  the  annual  conference,  to  preach  and  expound 
God's  holy  word  therein. 

3.  For  the  manner  of  appointing  trustees,  the  reader  is  re- 
ferred to  Book  III.  Chapter  III.  Section  IX.  Paragraph  4. 

4.  Parsonages,  burying-grounds,  &c.,  are  held  by  a  similar 
tenure  as  churches,  and  the  only  control  the  conferences  or 
ministers  have  over  them  is,  to  use  them  and  the  churches  ac- 
cording to  the  design  of  the  donors  or  purchasers.  The  preach- 
ers, bishops,  or  conferences  have  no  right  to  dispose  of  them  nor 
use  them  for  any  other  purpose  whatsoever  than  the  one  named 
in  the  deed  of  conveyance. 

5.  As  churches  and  parsonages  increase  in  the  church,  there 
is  an  increasing  desire  on  the  part  of  both  preachers  and  peo- 
ple, to  have  the  parsonages  furnished  with  at  least  heavy  fur- 
niture. Indeed,  one  of  the  greatest  clogs  to  the  itinerancy  is 
the  necessity  of  removing  furniture  from  place  to  place.  What 
with  the  wear  and  tear  of  furniture,  and  the  enormous  expense 
annually  incurred  in  such  removal,  besides  the  time  occupied  in 
packing  and  unpacking,  it  begins  to  be  seriously  agitated  as  a 
question,  whether  the  preachers  had  not  better  sell  all  their  own 
furniture,  and  throw  themselves  at  once  on  the  generosity  of 
the  people  for  such  articles  of  furniture  as  they  need  for  house- 
keeping. If  such  arrangements  could  be  made,  the  saving  in 
expense  for  a  few  years,  would,  in  a  pecuniary  point  of  view, 
more  than  meet  the  necessary  outlay.  But  to  have  the  plan 
operate  well,  it  must  be  generally,  even  universally  adopted. 


wm 


IMI 


ame 
e  of 
rmit 
duly 
ound 


APPENDIX  TO  BOOK  III. 

DECISIONS,    AND    RESOLUTIONS    ON   THE    ADMI'   ISTRAl  .ON    OP 
THE    DISCIPLINE    OF   THE    METHODIST    EPISC    PAL    CHURCH. 


The  Author  begs  leave  to  append  the  following  decisions  and 
resohitions  for  the  special  benefit  of  junior  preachers  and  oth- 
ers, who  may  not  be  acquainted  with  the  same.  The  authori- 
ties may  be  found  at  the  end  of  the  appendix. 

1.  When  does  the  conference-year  commence  and  terminate? 
Ans.  When  the  appointments  are  announced  in  conference. 

2.  When  a  member  of  conference  has  been  brought  before 
a  committee,  during  the  interim  of  an  annual  conference,  and 
has  been  by  said  committee  acquitted,  can  the  annual  confer 
ence  take  up  the  case  and  decide  the  final  issue,  except  in 
case  of  appeal  ?  It  can,  the  action  of  the  committee  being 
only  to  determine  whether  the  accused  shall  be  suspended,  or 
allowed  to  discharge  his  ministerial  functions  during  the  in- 
terim. 

3.  Can  a  local  preacher  be  tried  by  a  quarterly  conference 
before  having  been  brought  before  a  committee  of  local  preach- 
ers ?  He  can,  but  when  it  is  practicable,  he  should  be  brought 
before  a  committee  of  his  peers  :'  i  the  first  instance.  The 
quarterly  conference,  however,  is  the  only  body  that  can  prop- 
erly try,  and  finally  acquit  or  suspend  a  local  preacher.  "  It 
has  original  jurisdiction." 

4.  When  a  bill  of  charges  is  presented  against  a  local 
preacher  for  imprudence,  and  the  necessary  disciplinary  labor 
has  not  been  performed,  may  the  quarterly  conference  reject 
said  bill  of  charges  ?  "  If  any  illegality  is  found,  the  conference 
may  reject  anv  part  of  the  bill." 


h  <l 


':  L.*' 


*: 


322 


KPISCOrAL   METHODISM. 


5.  Are  the  characters  of  local  elders  and  c  aeons  subject  lo 
annual  examination  in  the  quarterly  conference  ?     They  are. 

6.  If  a  local  preacher  or  minister  is  proved  guilty  of  some 
oftence,  who  determines  the  degree  or  kind  of  punishment  ? 
The  quarterly  conference.  The  same  rule  applies  to  a  travel- 
ling preacher  on  trial. 

7.  Can  quarterly  conferences,  under  any  circumstances,  try 
a  member  of  an  annual  conference  ?  They  cannot.  They  may, 
however,  state  their  grievances,  as  a  quarterly  conference,  to 
the  presiding  elder. 

8.  Can  exhorters,  stewards,  and  leaders  be  tried  by  a  quar- 
terly conference  ?  They  cannot.  Exhorters  and  stewards  are 
responsible  for  only  official  misconduct  to,  and  may  be  deprived 
of  their  office  by,  the  quarterly  conference,  but  can  only  be  tried 
and  expelled  by  the  Society,  or  select  number.  Leaders,  as 
such,  are  responsible  only  to  the  preacher  in  charge. 

9.  When  it  is  asked  in  quarterly  conference,  "  Are  there  any 
complaints  ?"  what  is  intended  ?  Complaints  against  local 
preachers  for  immorality  or  imprudence,  or  against  them,  and 
exhorters,  stewards,  and  trustees — in  certain  instances — for  offi- 
cial misconduct. 

10.  In  case  of  a  decision  by  a  quarterly  conference  adverse 
to  the  membership  of  a  local  or  travelling  preacher  on  trial,  and 
no  appeal  is  presented  to  the  next  session  of  the  annual  confer- 
ence, is  such  decision  final  ?  It  is,  in  ordinary  cases,  especially 
in  cases  of  law  questions. 

11.  In  granting  or  renewing  licenses  in  a  quarterly  confer- 
ence, if  there  should  be  a  tie  vote,  will  the  tie  vote  grant,  or 
renew  the  license  ?  It  will  not.  There  must  be  a  majority  of 
votes  of  all  the  members  present. 

12.  May  a  quarterly  conference  refuse  to  renew  the  license 
of  a  local  preacher,  without  showing  cause  ?  It  may,  but  can- 
not deprive  him  of  it  in  less  than  a  year,  except  for  cause,  for- 
mally proved. 

13.  Can  a  quarterly  conference  adjourn  to  a  distant  day  ? 


,7^    !•■ 


,'3*^" 


DECISIONS    AND    KE80LUTI0N8. 


323 


fnt? 
ivel- 

try 

lay, 
3,  to 


They  may  adjourn  from  day  to  day,  to  finish  ponding  business, 
only. 

14.  Is  a  travelling  proncher  on  trial  amenable  to  the  quar- 
terly, or  annual  conference  for  his  administration  of  discipline  i 
To  the  annual  conference,  only,  in  such  case. 

15.  Who  presides  at  the  examination  of  a  local  elder,  dea- 
con, or  preacher,  who  is  accused  of  crime,  and  is  brought  be- 
fore a  committee  of  local  preachers  ?     The  preacher  in  charge. 

IG.  If  found  guilty,  who  is  to  suspend  liim  ?  The  com- 
mittee. 

17.  In  the  trial  of  a  memljev  before  the  "select  number," 
should  the  preacher  in  charge  remain  with  them  while  making 
up  their  verdict  ?  He  should,  but  ought  not  to  express  an 
opinion  in  reference  to  the  guilt  or  innocence  of  the  accused, 
until  the  decision  is  made,  nor  even  at  any  time  during  the  pro- 
gress of  the  trial. 

18.  If  the  member  is  found  guilty,  who  is  to  determine  and 
award  the  punishment  ?     The  preacher. 

19.  If  an  accused  person  object  to  any  one  or  more  of  the 
select  number,  should  his  objections  be  overruled  ?  They 
should,  unless  they  are  reasonable  ;  in  that  case,  the  person  or 
pei"sons  objected  to,  should  be  changed  for  others. 

20.  If  the  preacher  in  charge  is  a  party  interested  in  the 
issue  of  the  case,  when  a  member  is  to  be  tried,  should  he  act 
as  chairman  of  the  trial  ?  He  should  not.  The  presiding 
elder  should  appoint  a  chairman  for  the  occasion. 

21.  When  a  verdict  of  guilty  is  rendered  against  an  accused 
person,  must  the  preacher  expel  the  offender,  or  may  pardon 
be  granted  ?  In  cases  of  scandalous  crimes,  expulsion  should 
follow  ;  but  for  crimes  of  a  moderate  degree,  if  there  is  humil- 
ity, and  a  promise  of  amendment,  the  person  may  be  borne 
with,  but  then  only  by  general  consent  of  the  committee  or 
Society. 

22.  If  a  member  refuse  to  arbitrate  a  disputed  matter,  after 
being  recommended  to  do  so,  may  the  preacher  in  charge  pro- 


324 


Eri800PAL   METHODISM. 


ti  ! 


ceed  to  expel  him  ?  Not  before  he  is  tried  for  the  offence  and 
proved  guilty,  before  the  Society  or  select  number.  In  all 
cases  of  expulsion  whatsoever,  the  person  must  first  be  properly 
and  formally  tried  for  the  offeaco  for  which  he  is  expelled,  be- 
fore expulsion  can  ensue. 

23.  When  a  preacher  differs  in  judgment  from  the  Society 
or  select  number  in  relation  to  the  guilt  or  innocence  of  an  ac- 
cused person,  and  refers  the  case  to  the  quarterly  conference,  is 
that  reference  an  appeal  ?  It  is  not ;  it  is  a  new  trial.  The 
power  to  refer  should  scarcely  ever  be  used  by  a  preacher,  be- 
cause by  many  good  judges  the  rule  is  considered  unconstitu- 
tional, as  it  destroys  the  privilege  of  af'ieal  in  the  case,  to  the 
quarterly  conference. 

24.  Who  shall  decide  whether  a  person  absents  himself 
from  trial,  in  the  sense  of  the  discipline  ?  The  select  number, 
or  the  Society. 

25.  Is  a  preacher  in  charge  obliged  to  present  all  appeals 
from  expelled  members  to  the  quarterly  conference  ?  He  is, 
when  noti''3d  to  that  effect. 

26.  May  a  preacher  receive  a  person  into  the  church,  living 
within  the  bounds  of  another  charge,  when  it  is  known  that 
such  person  could  not  be  received  in  the  charge  where  he  re- 
sides ?     He  may  not,  except  in  extreme  cases. 

27.  When  a  member  wishes  to  remove  his  residence,  and 
the  preacher  believes  there  are  good  reasons  why  a  certificate 
should  be  withheld,  what  shall  be  done  ?  If  the  member  is 
■willing  to  be  tried,  the  preacher  must  proceed  to  the  trial  of 
the  person  ;  otherwise,  he  will  be  guilty  of  maladministration. 
In  case  of  a  refusal  to  be  tried,  a  certificate  may,  nay,  ought  to 
be  withheld. 

28.  When  a  member  wishes  to  withdraw  from  the  church, 
is  the  preacher  under  obligation  to  grant  him  a  certificate  of 
membership  ?  If  the  member  wishes  to  unite  with  another 
evangelical  charch,  a  certificate  may,  as  a  matter  of  courtesy 


DKCrSIONS    AND    P.K:JC)1,UTI0N'S. 


325 


o 


be  given,  otherwise,  there  is  no  obhgation,  nor  even  propriety, 
in  doing  so. 

29.  How  long  may  a  person  retain  a  certificate  of  momher- 
ship,  before  it  becomes  null,  and  void  ?  'I'hcre  is  no  prescribed 
time.  But  a  person  proscnling  a  certificate  becomes  responsi- 
ble to  the  Society  receiving  him  u|)on  such  certificate,  tor  his 
moral  conduct  while  he  held  the  same  in  his  hands. 

no.  Can  a  preacher  or  Society  refuse  to  receive  a  member 
who  presents  a  proper  certificate  of  membership  ?  They  can- 
not, but  if  guilty  of  immorality,  may  proceed  to  try  him,  as 
above  stated.  All  such  evidences  of  membership  must  be  duly 
honored. 

31.  When  an  expelled  person  confesses  and  gives  proper 
satisfaction,  and  applies  for  re-admission,  may  he  be  received  in 
full  membership,  or  must  he  be  received  on  trial  ?  lie  may  be 
received  in  full  connection. 

32.  Is  a  preacher  at  liberty  to  refuse  to  call  an  accused 
member  to  trial,  when  charges  have  been  preferred  by  respect- 
able numbers  of  the  church  ?  He  is,  if  there  are  sufficient  rea- 
sons existing  why  he  should  not  do  so. 

33.  Must  a  preacher  call  a  member  to  ti'al  who  is  credibly 
reported  to  be  guilty  of  crime,  even  if  no  charges  are  formally 
preferred  against  him  ?  It  is  the  duty  of  the  preacher  to  do 
10. 

34.  Should  a  preacher  proceed  to  try  a  member  on  a  bill  of 
charges  prepared,  and  preferred  by  a  complainant  out  of  the 
church  ?  He  should  not ;  all  formal  bills  of  charges  should  be 
preferred  by  members ;  but  if,  in  the  absence  of  the  latter,  the 
preacher  believes  the  accused  guilty,  he  should  make  out 
charo-es  atjainst  him  himself. 

35.  How  long  a  tira^  should  elapse  between  a  citation  to 
trial,  and  the  time  of  tiio  trial  ?  This  will  depend  on  <  rcum- 
stances  ;  but  generally  at  least  a  week's  notice  should  be  given. 

36.  If  a  different  crime  is  proven  against  an  accused  person, 
from  the  one  specified  in  the  bill  of  charges,  what  should  be 


cS 


i  L 


/f.1 


320 


EPISCOPAL    MRTII0DI8M. 


done  ?  If  the  accu'^ctl  plead  that  he  is  not  prepared  for  trmt 
on  that  point,  the  trial  should  bo  adjourned  to  a  futurs  day. 

37.  In  pn'pariiig  a  bill  of  chargiis,  how  should  a  proachc  r 
proceed?  lie  should  give  the  charges,  with  all  the  speciHca- 
tions  under  those  charges  ;  and  he  should  be  as  specitic  as  pos- 
sible, both  in  regard  to  time,  and  jjlace,  where  the  alleged  of- 
fence was  committed.  In  case  of  a  charge  of  falsehood,  or 
slander,  the  (jxact  word^  used  should  b(i  given  ;  a  correct  co|)y 
should  be  furni.ilu;  1  the  accused,  with  the  name  of  the  accuser, 
if  any,  and  a  proper  notice  (>f  the  tin  e  and  place  of  trial. 

•i8.  At  Uio  iiiie  of  the  trial,  how  should  lie  proceed  ?  He 
should  cause  correct  minutes  of  the  charges,  specilicatio.ns,  tes- 
timony, an/  decisioii,  lo  be  kept  in  writing,  together  with  all 
the  proceedings  in  tht;  case,  so  that  in  case  of  an  appeal,  the 
aame  may  be  presented  in  due  form,  to  th(!  quarUirly  conference. 

yO.  When  a  member  is  charg(!d  with  crime,  and  wishes  to 
withdraw,  for  the  j)urpose  of  evading  a  trial,  is  the  preacher 
under  the  necessity  of  considering  him  withdrawn  ?  He  is 
not ;  the  accused  member  should  not  be  allowed  to  withdraw 
without  permission  from  tlie  Sjciety. 

40.  If  an  cxp'^llod  person  is  rest'^rod  to  membership  by  the 
action  of  an  annual  conference,  on  account  of  incorrect  admin- 
istration, can  such  person  be  tried  over  again  for  the  same  of- 
fence .'  He  can  ;  the  action  of  the  conference  simply  places 
him  whore  justice  may  bo  done  by  a  now  trial. 

41.  Can  an  expelled  member  avail  himself  of  the  action  of 
an  annual  conference  in  his  case,  unless  he  first  uses  his  consti- 
tutional privilege  of  an  appeal  to  tbo  quarterly  conference,  as 
ae<oribed  in  the  discipline  ''■  He  cannot ;  his  first  and  chief 
redress  is  in  his  right  of  apjieal  to  the  quarterly  conference. 

42.  Should  an  accuser  be  allowed  to  be  a  witness  ?  In  cases 
of  personal  dispute,  in  the  issue  of  which  the  accuser  has  a 
direct  interest,  he  should  not ;  but  in  cases  where  he  has  no 
other  interest  than  is  common  to  all  tlie  members  of  the 
church,  he  should  be  permitteO  to  give  evidence. 


UECiaiONS    AND    KESwLL'TIONS. 


-•cus«;r. 


327 


■  i      V. 


43.  Has  a  preaclior  a  right  to  ifivi?  a  lovo-fcast  ticket  to  any 
person  Mot  a  member  or  probationer  of  the  church  ?  He  hjia 
no  such  rii^ht.  Tickets  with  the  word  "  meiiibcr^^  printed  oil 
them,  sliould  be  given  only  to  members  ;  tickets  without  the 
word  member,  should  be  given  only  to  probationtirs  :  "  notes''^ 
of  admission  should  be  given  to  tliose  who  are  neither  members 
nor  probationers. 

44.  Has  an  aiitmal  conference  a  right  to  require  its  mc^nbers 
to  take  up  an  annual  collection  for  th'!  j^urpose  of  sustaining 
the  literary  institutions  under  its  care  ?     It  lias  such  right. 

45.  Can  an  annual  conference  refuse  a  location  to  one  of  its 
members  in  good  standing,  when  such  location  is  dennuided  ? 
It  cannot,  and  is  obliged  to  give  him  a  certificate  of  such  loca- 
tion. 

40.  Is  the  recommendation  of  a  quarterly  conference,  in  the 
case  of  local  preachers,  catidiilatt^s  for  the  travelling  Cf^nnection, 
<fec.,  of  any  force  after  the  ensuing  annual  conference  ?  It  is 
not. 

47.  Has  tlie  presiding  elder  of  a  district  a  right  to  give  leave 
of  absence  to  any  of  his  preachers  ?     He  has  not. 

48.  Has  the  president  of  an  annual  or  quarterly  conference 
a  right  to  decline  putting  the  question  on  a  motion,  when  in 
his  judgment  such  motion  does  not  relate  to  the  proper  busi- 
ness of  the  conference  ?     He  has. 

49.  Are  questions  relating  to  the  admissibility  of  testimony, 
questions  of  law  ?  They  are.  (Consequently  the  president  or 
chairman  of  a  trial  must  decide  on  the  admissibility  of  testi- 
mony.) 

50.  To  what  quarterly  conference  or  Society  does  a  super- 
annuated preacher  belong  ?  If  he  resides  within  the  bounds 
of  his  own  conference,  he  belongs  to  such  bodies  where  he  re- 
sides ;  if  in  the  bounds  of  another  conference,  he  belongs  to  no 
Society,  or  quarterly  conference,  but  has  a  right,  as  all  preach- 
ers have,  to  meet  in  class. 


'0 


mrm^^^mmif^mumn^ 


328 


EPISCOPAL    METHODISM. 


AUTHORITIES. 


Queetion 

Question. 

1 

Bishof 

)  Waugli 

20 

Bishop  Morris 

2 

(( 

Ilamline 

27 

Gen.  Con.  1848 

3 

('. 

Morris 

28 

Gen,  Con.  1848 

4 

(( 

Janes 

29 

Bishop  Morris 

5 

u 

Morris 

30 

Various 

6 

(( 

Hedding 

31 

Bishop  Hedding 

1 

u 

Morris 

32 

"        Hedding 

8 

u 

Morris 

33 

"       Hedding 

9 

Various 

34 

Various 

10 

Bishop  Hamline 

35 

u 

11 

u 

Waugh 

36 

Bishop  Hedding 

12 

u 

Waugh 

37 

Various 

13 

u 

Hedding 

38 

(( 

14 

(( 

Hedding 

39 

All  the  Bishops 

15 

u 

Heddiiinr 

40 

Bishop  Janes 

16 

u 

Hedding 

41 

B.  R.  Con.  1851 

17 

u 

Hedding, 

Morris   42 

Bishop  Janes 

18 

a 

Hedding 

43 

Discipline 

19 

(( 

Hedding 

44 

Gen.  Con.  1840 

20 

u 

Morris 

45 

Gen.  Con.  1840,  <fe  1844 

21 

(( 

Hedding 

46 

Gen.  Con.  1840 

22 

a 

Hedding 

47 

Gen.  Con.  1840 

23 

(( 

Hedding 

48 

Gen.  Con.  1840 

24 

u 

Hedding 

49 

Gen.  Con.  1844 

25 

Various 

60 

Gen.  Con.  1844 

The  above  decisions  and  resolutions  are  given,  not  in  the 
exact  words  of  the  authorities  referred  to,  but  so  as  to  embrace 
the  substance  in  the  fewest  words  possible,  and  yet  retain  the 


meaning. 


„-. 


-j;<   ;-' 


BOOK   IV. 

BENEVOLENT  AND   LITERARY  INSTITUTIONS 
AND  STATISTICS  OF  METHODISM. 


CHAPTER   I. 


BENEVOLENT    INSTITUTIONS. 


SECTION    I. 


1844 


1  the 
)race 
1  the 


BOOK    CONCERN. 

1.  The  Book  Concern  may  properly  be  called  a  benevolent 
institution,  as  the  design — in  part,  at  least — is  to  furnish  a  fund 
for  the  relief  of  the  superannuated,  or  worn-out  preachers,  the 
widows  and  orphans  of  those  who  have  died  in  the  regular 
work  of  the  ministry,  and  the  profits  of  that  establishment  are, 
in  the  main,  sacredly  devoted  to  that  purpose.  It  is  true  that 
this  is  by  no  means  the  only  design  of  its  institution  ;  the  cir- 
culation of  bibles,  Sunday-school  books,  tracts,  and  religious 
works  of  various  kinds,  all  prove  that  another  prominent  object 
is  the  furnishing  of  wholesome  reading  to  the  thousands  of  our 
Israel,  who  naturally  look  to  their  own  church  and  ministry  for 
a  supply  of  their  wants  in  this  respect. 

At  an  early  period  in  the  history  of  English  Methodism,  Mr. 
Wesley  became  an  author,  and  indirectly  a  publisher  on  an  ex- 
tensive scale.  The  voluminous  works  which  he  found  it  neces- 
sary to  print  "  for  the  use  of  the  people  called  Methodists,"  de- 


i  I' 


330 


EPISCOPAL    METHODISM. 


raanded  a  press  of  his  own,  which  was,  and  is,  located  in  the 
city  of  London.  Soon  after  the  organization  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  the  importance  of  having  Methodist  books 
printed  in  America,  was  deeply  felt.  Hitherto,  the  minutes, 
Sunday  service,  hymn-books,  &c.,  had  been  published  at  Mr. 
Wesley's  press  in  London,  and  had  to  be  imported  at  great 
risk  and  expense,  besides  loss  of  time.  Li  the  year  1787,  the 
subject  of  printing  and  publishing  books  in  America  is  first 
alluded  to  in  the  discipline.  At  the  conference  which  assem- 
bled in  the  above  year,  it  was  resolved  to  print  such  books  as 
the  conference  should  recommend,  and  that  the  profits  of  sale 
should  be  applied  "  toward  Cokesbury  College,  the  preachers' 
fund,  the  deficiencies  of  the  preachers,  the  distant  missions,  or 
the  debts  on  our  churches."  The  first  attempt  at  publishing 
books  was  in  Philadelphia,  and  in  1792,  the  Rev.  John  Dick- 
ins  was  appointed  to  manage  the  printing  business.  His  annual 
allowance  was,  "  two  hundred  dollars  for  a  dwelling-house,  and 
fur  a  book-room  ;  eighty  dollars  for  a  boy  ;  fifty-three  and  one 
third  dollars  for  fire-wood  ;  and  three  hundred  and  thirty-three 
dollars  to  clothe  and  feed  himself,  his  wife,  and  his  children. 
In  all,  six  hundred  and  sixty-six  dollars,  and  one  third  The 
first  book- committee  appointed  to  regulate  the  concern,  were 
John  Dickins,  Henry  Willis,  and  Thomas  Haskins.  In  1796, 
the  publication  of  the  Methodist  Magazine  was  recommended 
by  the  conference,  and  in  1800,  Ezekiel  Cooper  was  appointed 
superintendent  of  the  Book  Concern,  and  it  was  made  the  duty 
of  each  presiding  elder  to  see  that  his  district  was  duly  supplied 
with  books  ;  to  order  such  books  as  were  wanted  ;  to  distribute 
them  among  the  dift'ereut  circuits,  and  to  charge  the  same  to 
the  preachers.  The  latter  were  required  to  sell  as  many  as 
Dossible,  and  account  to  the  presiding  elder  for  the  same,  and 
when  they  left  a  circuit,  they  were  to  collect  all  the  books  re- 
maining on  their  hands  in  one  place,  and  leave  an  inventory  of 
the  same  with  the  presiding  elder.     No  preacher  was  allowed 


i 


■*^ 


BOOK    CONCERN. 


331 


to  print  or  circulate  any  book  or  pamjifllet  without  the  consent 
of  the  conference,  previously  obtained. 

In  1804,  the  Book  Concern  was  removed  to  New  York,  and 
Ezekiel  Cooper  was  re-appointed  general  book  steward,  and 
John  Wilson,  assistant  editor  and  book  steward.  At  this  time 
it  was  resolved  that  the  profits  be  applied  to  the  support  of  dis- 
tressed travelling  preachers  and  their  families. 

In  1820,  a  book  agent  was  appointed  to  reside  in  Cincinnati, 
and  manage  the  Concern  in  the  western  country,  under  the 
direction  of  the  editor  in  New  York.  The  system  of  issuing 
books  on  commission  still  obtained,  and  it  was  only  in  1828 
that  the  General  Conference  resolved  thereafter  to  issue  no 
more  books  on  commission.  In  1826  the  publication  of  the 
"  Christian  Advocate"  was  commenced  in  New  York,  and  at 
the  conference  of  1828,  an  editor  was  appointed  to  superintend 
the  same,  and  to  edit  the  Child's  Magazine.  In  1832,  a  branch 
concern,  or  general  depository,  was  established  in  New  Orleans, 
and  ii  1836  the  book  concern  at  Cinciimati  was  made  inde- 
pendent of  the  one  in  New  York,*  yet  so  "  as  to  co-operate 
with  the  agents  at  New  York"  in  the  publication  of  books,  &q. 
In  the  last  named  year,  in  addition  to  the  Christian  Advocate 
and  Juurnal,  and  Western  Christian  Advocate,  provision  was 
made  for  issuing  weekly  papers  from  Charleston,  S.  C,  Rich- 
mond, Va.,  and  Nashville,  Tenn. 

In  1840,  provision  was  made  for  the  publication  of  the  Meth- 
odist Quarterly  Review,  Youth's  Magazine,  the  Christian  Apol- 
ogist, in  German,  Pittsburgh  Christian  Advocate,  and  the 
Ladies'  Repository. 

In  1844,  the  Northern  Christian  Advocate,  in  Auburn,  was 


i 


*  On  tlie  18th  Feb,  1836,  thn  entire  book  establishment,  in  Nevr 
York,  with  its  buildiny^s,  presses,  books,  papers,  «tc.,  was  destroyed  by 
fire.  Through  the  Uberality  of  friends,  in  and  out  of  the  church,  liow- 
ever,  the  loss  was  partly  made  up,  and  better  buildings  were  erected 
on  the  site  of  thn  old  ones,  so  that  the  "  glory  of  the  latter  house,"  fur 
surpasses  "  that  of  the  former."  23 


-;  §^ 


332  EPISCOPAL    METHODISM. 

adoptea  as  a  General  Conference  paper,  and  given  in  charge  to 
Rev.  N.  Rounds,  of  the  Oneida  Conference,  wlio  was  succeeded 
in  1848  by  the  present  talented  editor,  Rev.  William  Hosmer^ 
of  the  Genesee  Conference. 

2.  The  present  state  of  the  Book  Concern  is  as  follows  : — In 
New  York,  there  is  one  agent,  and  one  assistant  agent ;  an 
editor  of  the  Quarterly  Review,  and  books  of  the  General  Cat- 
alogue ;  an  editor  of  the  Christian  Advocate  and  Journal ;  an 
editor  of  Sunday-school  books  and  tracts,  all  of  whom  are  under 
the  supervision  of  a  book  committee  of  seven,  appointed  by  the 
General  Conference.  A  large  number  of  clerks,  salesmen,  por- 
ters, printers,  binders,  (fee.  &c.,  are  employed  at  this  concern, 
which  is  located  at  200  Mulberry-street. 

At  Cincinnati  there  are  two  agents,  and  three  editors,  with 
the  necessary  number  of  enij)loyees,  and  an  editor  for  each  of 
the  General  Conference  papers.  Depositories  of  books  are 
found  in  Pittsburgh,  and  Boston,  and  Methodist  book-stores  are 
found  in  Auburn,  Buft'alo,  Philadelphia,  Baltimore,  and  other 
places.  The  number  of  distinct  works  published  at  New  York 
and  Cincinnati,  from  the  ponderous  imperial  octavo  of  5,528 
pages,  down  to  the  lilliputian  48mo.  of  but  a  few  pages,  amounts 
to  about  two  thousand  in  round  numbers.  These  works  may 
be  classified  as  follows  : — 

On  Biblical  Literature, 21 

On  Doctrinal  and  Controversial  Theology,    .     .     .     ,        56 
On  Experimental  and  Practical  Religion,      ....       67 

On  Biography  and  History, 85 

On  Ecclesiastical  Polity  and  History, 13 

On  Ilomiletics  and  Pastoral  Duties, 9 

On  Methodist  Usages,  Church  Polity,  <fec.,  ....       23 

On  Missions,  &c., 16 

Sermons  and  Addresses  by  different  Ministers,  ...       59 

Poetical  and  Musioal, 9 

On  Miscellaneous  Subjects, 70 

German  Works Q 


■TW? 


"^ 


-In 

;  an 

Cat- 

;  an 

inder 

y  the 

por- 

licern. 


21 
56 
67 
85 
13 

9 
23 
16 
59 

9 
TO 

e 


BOOK    CONCERN.  333 

Juvenile  Works, 71 

P'ireside  Lil)rary, l21 

Tracts,  &c., 400 

SUNDAY-SCHOOL    DEPARTMENT. 

Youth's  Library,  vols 400 

Child's  Library,       " 300 

Children's  Tracts, GO 

Gift  Books,  &c., 163 

1952 

The  publication  of  these  books  by  thousands  of  copies  annu- 
ally, together  with  the  printing  of  love-feast  tickets,  Sunday- 
school  tickets,  certificates  of  ineinbershij)  in  the  church,  and 
Missionary  Societies,  Sunday  School  Union,  &c.  &c.,  and  the 
printing  of  portraits,  engravings,  &c.,  will  show  to  some  extent 
the  amount  of  capital  required,  and  the  labor  to  be  performed, 
in  that  vast  establishment  in  New  York,  and  its  sister  establish- 
ment in  the  west. 

The  preparation  of  books,  however,  is  but  one  part  of  the 
business  performed  at  these  establishments.  About  thirty 
thousand  copies  of  the  Christian  Advocate  and  Journal  are 
weekly  printed  in  New  York  ;  about  one  hundred  thousand 
copies  of  the  Sunday  vSchool  Advocate — a  paper  as  large  as  the 
former — are  published  monthly  at  the  same  place ;  about  fifty 
thousand  copies  of  the  Missionary  Advocate  are  also  [)ublished 
monthly,  besides  between  two  and  three  thousand  co[)ies  of  the 
Quarterly  Review.  At  Cincinnati,  besides  the  publication  of 
books,  the  \Vestern  Christian  Advocate,  the  Christian  Apolo- 
gist, and  the  Ladies'  Monthly  Repository,  are  puldished  weekly 
and  monthly  by  thousands. 

3.  The  following  table  exhibits  the  present  financial  condi- 
tion of  the  book  concerns  at  New  York  and  Cincinnati,  as  re- 
ported to  the  annual  conferences  at  their  sessions  in  1851. 


•  ■  -■ 


•I 


834 


EPISCOPAL    METHODISM. 


BOOK-ROOM    AT    NEW    YORK. 

Real  Estate  in  New  York  city,  consisting  of  build- 
ings, &c $115,673 

Cash  in  band,  and  in  bank,  with  State  Stocks    .  66,605 

Books  on  hand,  bound  and  unbound,  &c.  &c.     .  191,681 
Printing-office,  including  presses,  type,  stereotype 

plates,  &c 02,907 

Foundry,  &c.  &c 618 

Bindery 8,868 

Notes  and  accounts  considered  good    ....  164,971 

Deduct  $14,819,  due  by  the  concern,  leaves      .  $626,225 

Nett  profits  of  the  year  1850 42,161 

Paid  conference  dividends  in  1850       ....  19,700 

Amount  of  sales  in  1850 200,215 

BOOK    CONCERN    AT    CINCINNATI. 

Real  Estate  in  Cincinnati,  &c $65,000 

Books  and  stationery  on  hand 44,061 

Printing-office,  presses,  type,  &c 29,912 

Bindery 4,915 

Furniture,  &c.  &c 1,900 

Notes  and  accounts  considered  good    ....  79,782 

Cash  on  hand,  &c.  &c 3,567 

Deduct  $26,502,  due  by  the  concern,  leaves      .  $202,637 

Profits  of  the  year  1850-1 15,095 

Present  value  of  both  concerns $828,862 

Both  concerns  are  incorporated  by  the  Legislatures  of  the 
States  wherein  they  are  located. 


MISSIONARY    SOCIETY. 


335 


SECTION  II. 


CHARTERED    FUND. 


1.  This  fund  was  instituted  in  the  year  1796.  The  design 
of  its  instituLi'^n  was  to  reUeve  the  distressed  travelling  preach- 
ers, the  worn-out  preachers,  and  the  widows  and  orphans  of 
preachers.  It  was  raised  by  the  voluntary  contributions  of  the 
friends  of  Methodism,  and  from  the  first,  has  been  located  in 
Philadelphia,  where  the  board  of  trustees  are  incorporated,  and 
the  fund  chartered  by  the  State  of  Pennsylvania,  The  trustees 
are  chosen  by  the  General  Conference,  and  hold  the  funds  in 
trust,  for  the  purposes  above  specified.  The  interest  only  of 
the  fund  can  be  a[»plied  for  such  purposes,  the  principal  remain- 
ing untouched.  The  amount  thus  funded  is  about  $36,000, 
and  yields  an  annual  interest  of  about  $2,500,  which  is  equally 
divided  among  all  the  conferences  in  the  connection,  for  the 
benefits  of  the  claimants.  The  discipline  requires  the  interest 
to  be  divided  into  thirty-nine  equal  parts,  while  there  are  but 
twenty-nine  conferences — exclusive  of  mission  conferences — in 
the  connection.  The  reason  for  this  apparent  discrepancy,  is 
found  in  the  fact  that  ti  e  number  of  conferences  in  1844,  and 
before  the  separation  o*"  the  Southern  Church  from  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church,  was  thirty-nine,  and  as  the  South,  since 
the  separation,  claims  a  portion  of  the  said  fund,  it  has  been 
thought  best  to  allow  the  discipline  to  remain  as  it  is,  till  after 
the  settlement  of  this  question  by  competent  authority. 


f: 


SECTION  III. 


missionary    society    of    the    METHODIST    EPISCOPAL    CHURCH. 


1.  The  Missionary  Society  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
was  organized  in   the  city  of  New  York,  in  the   year  1819. 


I  Mwiimi>i!»w«m'W'MiiiiW-Wmi»i'* 


i'\) 


336 


El'ISCOl'AL    METHODISM. 


The  Constitution  of  tho  Society  has  several  times  undergone 
alteration  and  revision,  the  hist  revision  being  by  the  General 
Conference  of  1844. 

2.  The  object  of  the  Society  is  for  the  purpose  of  supporting 
missions  and  schools  in  our  own,  and  in  foreign  countries. 

3.  The  payment  of  two  dollars  annually  constitutes  a  mem- 
ber, and  tho  payment  of  twenty  dollars  at  one  time,  a  member 
for  life.  The  payment  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  consti- 
tutes a  manager  for  life,  ttnd  the  payment  of  five  hundred  dol- 
lars a  patron  for  life. 

4.  The  officers  of  the  Society  consist  of  a  president,  vice-pres- 
idents, corresponding  secretary,  recording  secretary,  treasurer, 
assistant  treasurer,  and  thirty-two  managers. 

5.  The  senior  bishop  of  the  church  is  president,  and  the 
other  bishops  are  vice-presidents,  according  to  seniority.  These 
with  the  other  officers — excepting  the  corresponding  secretary 
— are  all  appointed  by  the  Society  at  its  annual  meeting  in 
April  of  each  year.  The  corresponding  Secretary  is  appointed 
by  the  General  Conference,  and  is  re(juired  to  reside  in  New 
York,  and  conduct  the  correspondence  of  the  Society,  at  home 
and  abroad. 

G.  The  receipts  of  the  Society  have  gradually  increased  from 
the  time  of  its  organization.  The  receipts  for  1849-50  were 
$107,835  73,  and  the  disbursements  for  the  same  period  were 
$100,989  03.  The  receipts  for  the  year  ending  May  1st,  1851, 
were  ^133,317  41,  and  the  disbursements  for  the  same  year 
amounted  to  8131,003  40.  The  appropriation  for  the  present 
year — 1853—4 — by  the  missionary  board  for  the  support  of  the 
various  Methodist  Missions,  is  8:^00,000. 

7.  There  are  eight  i)atrons  of  the  Society,  having  j^aid  each 
$500  or  more  at  one  time  ;  thirteen  life  managers,  having  paid 
each  8150  or  more  at  one  time,  and  about  seven  thousand  lite- 
members,  who  have  paid  each  twenty  dollars  or  more  at  one 
time. 

8.  The  following  table  will  exhibit  at  a  single  glance  the 


•tins 


wm 


» \' 


MISSIONARY   SOCIETY. 


W6\ 


operations  of  tlio  Society,  which  tiibh;  we  have  compiled  prin- 
cipally trom  the  latest  report  of  the  Missionary  Society  of  tho 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 


1.  uoMESTic  missions: 
Enj^lish  Domestic  Missions, 

C3 

O 
'71 

'Ji 

c    . 

if 

aO(5 

88U 

285 

2G,841 

Gerniaii         " 

lo;i 

ll(i 

5G 

G,825 

115 

99 

Swi'dish,  Diuiisli  and  Norwegian 

Domestic  Missions, 

4 

G 

838 

1} 

2 

Welsh  Domestic  Missions 

5 

5 

llu 

>2 

French        " 

2 

2 

21 

Indian          "             " 

la 

28 

1,47U 

7 

8 

Orc<r„n        "             " 

8 

12 

17 

898 

5 

3 

California   " 

10 

G 

2G 

754 

7 

5 

2.    lOUKION    MISSIONS  : 

Oerniany 
Soutli  An;cvica 

;5 
1 

7 
1 

113 

4U 

1 

1 

China 

5 

5 

Africa 

11 

18 
581 

18 
852 

1,074 

10 

Total 

584 

8tj,y7'J 

117 

120 

There  are  connected  with  the  above  missions,  besides  the 
members,  8,370  probationers,  making  an  aggregate  of  members 
and  probationers,  of  45,349. 

9.  Besides  the  Parent  Society  at  New  York,  there  are  auxil- 
iary Societies  in  each  conference  in  the  church,  besides  numerous 
subordinate  societies,  such  as  L:idies',  Youth's  and  Sunday-school 
Missionary  Societies.  All  these  operate  through  the  Parent  So- 
ciety, except  the  Ladies'  Home  Missionary  Society  in  New  York 
city,  which  supports  a  mission  in  the  vilest  part  of  the  city. 
Each  circuit  and  station  in  the  church  is  in  fact  a  missionary 
society,  as  it  is  made  the  duty  of  each  (quarterly  conference  to  ' 
appoint  a  mission  committee  of  at  least  five  persons,  who  shall, 
with  the  preacher  in  charge,  superintend  the  interests  of  the 
missionary  cause  within  tiieir  respective  bounds,  by  organizing 


s; 


:  i. 


l!^ 


3[J8 


r.PISCOPAL    METlIOUiaM. 


tiiissionary  societies,  takini''  »ip  collection**,  having  sermon*  «• 
addresses  delivered,  and  establishing  missionary  prayer-meet- 
ings. 

10.  Thus  we  see  that  Methodism  is  emphatically  missionary 
in  its  character,  not  only  in  its  foreign  operations,  but  in  its 
domestic,  or  hon"^  work.  Indeed,  in  an  important  sense,  every 
minister  of  the  .uothodist  Episcopal  Church — and  indeed  of  all 
other  branches  of  thu  Methodist  family,  where  the  itinerancy  is 
preserved — is,  in  an  important  sense,  a  missionary,  for  instead 
of  being  called  by  a  church  or  congregation,  u;ider  a  stipulated 
salary,  to  preach  to  them,  they  are  annually  sent  forth  without 
purse  or  scrip,  into  the  highways  and  hedg<s,  the  fields  and 
the  forests,  the  city  and  the  country,  to  invite  men  to  Christ. 
We  may  further  remark,  that  in  jiroportiun  as  a  church  is  mis- 
sionary in  its  character,  does  it  give  evidence  of  being  a  true 
church  of  Jesus  Christ;  evidence  at  once  so  clear,  so  convin- 
cing, that  the  chimera  of  aj»ustolical  succession  sinks  into  utter 
insignificancy  when  com})ared  with  it.  "  Ye  are  the  light  of 
the  world  ;"  "  the  salt  of  the  earth,"  said  Christ  to  his  disci- 
ples ;  and  when  he  said  to  his  ministers,  "  Go  ye  into  all  the 
world,  and  preach  the  Gospel  to  every  creature,"  he  stamped 
bis  church  on  earth  as  a  missionary  church 

For  a  farther  view  of  Methodist  mission^  in  different  parts 
of  the  world,  the  reader  is  referred  to  the  statistical  tables  in 
this  work,  pages  348,  et  seq. 

SECTION  IV. 

SUNDAY-SCHOOL  UNION  OF  THE  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 

1.  The  honor  of  liaving  originated  Sunday-schools  is  gene- 
rally— and  we  believe  justly — ascribed  to  Kobert  Raikes,  Es(][., 
of  Gloucester,  Eug.,  who  in  the  year  1781,  at  the  place  of  his 
residence,  engaged  four  persons  for  a  stipulated  sum  each  Sab- 
bath, to  teach  such  children  as  he  might  send  to  them. 


■^.r 


SUNDAY    SCHOOL    UNION. 


339 


3  very 
>f  all 


2.  The  honor  of  haviiif^  originated  the  Kystciii  of  gratuitous 
instruction  in  Sunday-schuols,  belongs,  wc  think,  with  (  (ual  jus- 
tice, fo  Mr.  John  Wesley,  who,  in  1785,  urged  liis  Societi«^»  to 
follow  the  laudable  example  of  Mr.  Kaikos.  Tlie  Societies  look 
Mr.  A\'(!sley's  advice,  and  shortly  after,  Sunchiy-schools,  on  the 
plan  of  gratuitous  and  r.-ligious  instruction,  were  corunirt.cod 
in  all  parts  of  the  Methodist  conn(  i-tion  in  Kngland. 

3.  As  early  as  178G,  Sunday-schools  were  established  in  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  iu  the  Unite<l  States,  throut^h  tiie 
agency  of  Bishop  Asbury,  who,  being  in  constant  conimunica- 
tion  with  Mr.  Wesley  by  correspondence,  learned  from  the  lat- 
ter the  fact  of  their  establislnniMt  in  England.  But  prior  to 
this  period  (in  1784),  the  Methodist  mir/istcrs  and  preachers 
Avere  required  by  the  disci j)line,  whenever  there  were  ten  chil- 
dren, whose  parents  were  members,  to  meet  them  at  least  an 
hour  every  week,  for  purposes  of  religious  instruction  ;  and  in 
1790,  they  w(;re  re<[uired  to  establish  Stiiidnv-schools  in  or  near 
the  places  of  v  orship,  for  the  benefit  of  white  and  black  chil- 
dren, and  to  api)oint  suitable  persons  to  teach  gratis  all  who 
would  attend,  and  had  a  caj)acity  to  learn.  As  there  is  no 
authentic  account  of  Sunday-schools  in  Ameri>  a  prior  to  1780 
we  may  justly  claim  for  Bishop  Asbury  and  his  co-laborers  in 
the  church,  the  honor  of  having  established  Sunday-schools  on 
the  gratuitous  plan,  in  America. 

4.  In  1828,  the  Methodist  Sunday-school,  Bible,  and  Tract 
Union  was  organized,  but  the  complexity  of  this  organization 
rendered  it  expedient,  in  1830,  to  discontinue  the  Bible  depart- 
ment of  the  Union  ;  and  in  1840,  the  Trai  t  department  was 
also  discontinued,  and  the  Sunday  School  Union  of  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church  was  established  on  a  new,  and  we  trust 
a  firm  and  permanent  foundation. 

5.  Since  the  organization  of  the  Sunday  School  Union  in  its 
present  form,  the  cause  of  Sunday-schools  in  our  church  has 
received  a  fresh  impulse,  and  has  acquired  a  degree  of  impor- 
tance secondary  to  no  other  cause  in  which  the  church  is  en^ 


'  I 


;    i 


|] 


^40 


Kl'iaC'Ol'AL    MKillOlUKM. 


M 


{^.'lyvd.  Not  only  Iiavo  its  aiiiiu;il  r(icci|)t.s  inciv.'iSfd,  but  its 
books  Iiavo  continued  to  multiply  iilmost  beyond  conaiption. 
Its  t'acilitii's  for  obt;iiiiinj|  cornet  statistical  reports  have  also 
been  increased,  and  it  is  perhaps  ,iot  too  much  to  say,  that  no 
other  Sunday-school  Society  in  this  land,  is  in  a  more  nourish- 
ing and  prcwperous  condilion,  at  the  present  time,  than  Ihu 
Methodist  Sunday  School  Union,  under  the  mana-^ement  of  its 
very  ellicient  correspondin-^  secretary,  the  liev.  1).  i'.  Kidder, 
D.  D. 

G.  The  receipts  of  the  Union  for  the  suj»ply  of  destitute 
Rchools  with  l>ooks,  fall  very  far  short  of  what  they  ounht  to  be. 
While  the  members  generally  evince  a  becomini^  dei^nje  of  zeal 
in  behalf  of  Sunday-schools  in  their  own  localities,  th(^y  should 
not  fori^et  that  there  are  thousands  of  j)oor  chililren  in  the  new 
and  sparse  settlements  of  our  c(jmmon  country,  who  need  to  bo 
aided  in  their  thirst  for  religious  knowledge,  by  the  contribu- 
tions of  the  more  highly  favored  portion  of  our  members  and 
youth.  Only  about  'ii?oOOO  the  puot  year  was  contributed  for 
this  pu Impose. 

^  Tha  actual  condition  of  our  Sunday-schools  in  the  United 
States  may  be  inferred  from  the  following  table,  taken  from  the 
annual  report  of  the  Sunday  School  Union  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  for  1851.  We  giv«i  only  the  aggregate  of 
tlie  numbers  in  the  various  conferences. 


si 

3i 

o  o 

1 

'I) 

H 

o 
6 

1 
o 
6 

No.  of  Vol.'?.  ii 
Library. 

1 

3 

N 

< 

a    . 
a  S 

3^ 

8,021 

8-i,840 

4'2y,58y 

l,ll7,().s;; 

0,486  ;i'J,8'.'6 

§54,587 

74.363 

11,398 

Jncruii 

se  past  year 

687 1 10,966 

37,306 

14<t4y7| 

891 1  4,9271 

86,508 

8,648| 

2,384 

♦  Tlio  uinoiint  raised  for  Sunday -scliools  in  ISSiJ,  was  .t9,:JG0  00. 


HI  DM-;    HOCIBTY. 


SEcriox  V. 


IMDiX    aOCIETV. 


341 


1  TiiK  Ameiiwm  IJible  Society,  alth  <Mnli  ikj*.  ji  dcuoniina- 
tioiial  iior  iMutluHlist  insdtutioii,  yet  as  it  is  lar^x-ly  supporti'd 
by  the  Motliodist  Clmrcli,  and  tliu  jiniacInTs  are  R'nuired  to 
take  up  an  annual  collection  in  aid  of  its  ruiids,  it  seems  projjer 
to  giv»!  it  a  j»lac«i  anionjj;  tlu;  benevolent  institutions  of  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  C'hurch.  This  Society  was  formed  in  New 
York,  in  tlu;  year  1810,  and  its  declared  object  from  the  begin- 
ning hits  been  to  circulate  eo[)ies  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  without 
note  or  comment,  whii'h  object  it  has  faithfully  carried  out. 

2.  After  the  formati(Mi  of  this  American  JJible  Society,  up  to 
the  year  18'J8,  the  Methodist  Church  co-oper;ited  more  or  less 
with  the  same,  but  in  the  latter  year  a  distinct  Methodist  l^iblo 
Society  was  formed  in  connection  with  the  Sunday  School 
and  Tract  Union  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  This 
separate  organization  existed  for  about  eight  years,  when  in 
1830  it  was  formally  discontinued  ;  and  "-"Mce  that  time  tho 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  has  labored  in  tliis  department  of 
her  work,  in  connection  with  the  American  IJible  Society,  and 
her  various  auxiliaries  in  different  States,  counties,  and  towns 
of  the  Union. 

3.  The  gross  receipts  of  the  Society  for  1850-51,  amounted 
to  the  sum  of  .^2'7G,882,  and  the  expenditures,  to  8270,899. 
Over  half  a  million  of  copies  of  tho  Scriptures  were  issued  dur- 
ing the  same  period,  and  since  its  organization  no  less  than 
7,572,907  copies  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments  have  been 
circuhited  by  tho  Society. 

4.  The  ))recise  amount  contributed  to  the  Society  by  the 
Methodist  Church  caimot  be  ascertained  during  the  past  year. 
Some  of  the  largest  conferences  in  the  church,  who  have  co-op- 
erated very  cfKciently  in  this  good  work,  have  failed  to  maka 


'  ti 


'  u 


31^ 


342 


EPISCOPAL    METHODISM. 


[.'    I  i  -  ■  l! 


fki  i: 


their  report  of  the  amount  raised  witliin  their  respective  bounds 
!br  the  Bible  Society,  and  in  many  places  the  Methodist  con- 
gregations co-operate  in  connection  with  other  churches  and 
congregations,  in  making  collections  ;  so  that  no  distinction  can 
be  drawn  between  the  contributions  of  the  one,  or  the  other. 
From  the  reports  of  the  twenty-two  conferences  who  have  made 
returns,  we  learn  that  there  was  raised,  in  the  year  1850,  within 
their  bounds,  the  sum  of  $519,330.  If  to  this  we  add  ^5,000, 
as  the  probable  amount  raised  in  the  six  conferences  not  re- 
porting, the  total  receii)ts  from  the  Methodist  Church  in  the 
North,  will  exceed  $24,000.  To  this  should  properly  be  added 
the  receipts  from  the  Methodist  Church  South,  which  would 
swell  the  aggregate  to  between  forty  and  fifty  thousand  dollars 
for  the  past  year. 


SECTION  VI. 


TRACT  SOCIETY  OF  METHODIST    EPISCOPAL   CHURCH. 


Founded  1852.     36  Auxiliaries,  13  Conference  Agents,  and 
87  Colporteurs.     624  "JVacts,  and  66  Tract  Volumes  are  pub- 
lished.    6,891,240   pages   of  Tracts  were   printed   in   1853. 
134,000  volumes  were  also  printed,  of  which  more  thiui  100, 
000  were  sold. 


I*. 


( 


3  bounds 
(list  con- 
ches and 
ction  can 
le  otlier. 
ive  made 
0,  witliin 
'^5,000, 
not  re- 
h  in  tlie 
)e  added 
-'h  would 
J  dollars 


;h. 


fonts,  and 
are  pub- 
in   1853. 
laji  100, 


CHAPTER  11. 


LITERARY  INSTITUTIONS  OF  METHODISM. 


SECTION  I. 

UNIVEKSrriES    AND    COLLEGES. 

1.  At  an  early  period  in  the  history  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church — as  may  be  learned  from  the  historical  part  of 
this  work — strenuous  efforts  were  put  forth  by  Bishops  Coke 
and  Asbury,  for  the  proper  establishment  of  a  Methodist  col- 
lege ;  and  notwithstanding  the  promising  aspect  of  things  as 
connected  with  Cokesbury  College  for  awhile,  yet  the  hopes  of 
these  men  of  God,  and  the  lovers  of  education  in  the  church, 
were  doomed  to  disappointment  by  the  repeated  destruction  by 
fire  of  that  institution.  The  failure  in  this  early  attempt  in 
favor  of  education,  produced  discouragement  in  the  church,  and 
for  a  period  of  over  thirty  years,  but  little  appears  to  have  been 
done  by  the  Methodist  Church  toward  the  establishment  of 
colleges  and  seminaries  of  a  higher  grade. 

2.  The  first  Methodist  minister  in  the  United  States  who  had 
enjoyed  the  benefits  of  a  regular  college  education,  was  the  late 
Rev.  Wilbur  Fisk,  D.l).,  who  graduated  at  Brown  University 
in  Rhode  Island,  in  1815.  In  1818,  Fisk  joined  the  travelling 
connection,  and  after  a  few  years'  itinerant  labor,  was  under  the 
necessity  of  retiring  from  the  field  of  active  labor  as  a  preacher. 
In  1825,  liaving  regained  his  health,  he  was  called  by  the 
church  to  take  charge  of  the  Wilbrahain  Academy  in  Massr.- 


hi 


i 
1 


I 


544 


EPISCOPAL    ME.^IODISM. 


chusetts.  From  this  period,  the  cause  of  education  in  tlie  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Churcli  was  onward,  and  it  is  not  too  4nuch  !'> 
say,  in  honor  of  the;  memory  of  the  dead,  that  to  no  man,  Hving 
or  dead,  does  the  Methodist  Church  owe  more  for  his  efforts  in 
the  cause  of  education,  than  to  Wilbur  Fisl<,  while  })rincipal  of 
the  above  named  academy,  and  especially  while  President  of 
the  Wesleyan  University,  in  Middletown,  Conn. 

The  followini^'  is  a  list  of  the  Universities  and  ColleL!;es  undef 
the  })atronage  of  the  Methodist  Church  in  the  Northern  and 
Western  States  : 


Wesleyan  University, 
Ohio  Wesleyan  University, 
Asbury  University, 
Dickinson  College, 
Genesee  College, 
Alleghany  College, 
M'Kendree  Colleir 


Middletown,  Conn. 
Delaware,  Ohio. 
Green  Castle,  liid. 
Carlisle,  I'a. 
Lima,  N'.  Y. 
Meadville,  Pa. 


o^'> 


Leb; 


mon, 


III. 


awrence 


U 


ni 


versity, 


Oregon   Institute, 

Illinois  Wcsl(>yan  University, 

University  of  the  Pacific, 


Ap])l('ton,  Wis. 
Salem,  Oreu-on, 


Bl 


oomuiMon, 


III. 


Santa  Clara,  Cal. 


SECTION  II. 


BIHLICAL  INSTITUTE. 


This  institution  was  opened  in  April,  184Y,  in  Concord,  N.  II, 
The  design  contemplated  in  its  formation,  is  the  education  of 
young  men  for  the  ministry  in  the  Methodist  Church.  The 
object  is  not  to  call  young  men  to  the  ministry,  but  to  prepare 
more  fully  for  the  work  in  which  they  are  about  to  engage, 
those  young  men  who  have  previously  ])een  called  by  God  and 
his  church,  to  take  upon  themselves  the  sacred  office.  Hence, 
none  are  received  as  students,  unless  they  bring  a  certificate 
from  a  quarterly  or  annual  conference,  of  their  being  licentiates. 
Candidates  for  admission  are  also  recpiired  to  possess  a  previous 


tile  Motli- 
Hiiuch  to 
ail,  livinn: 
eltbrts  in 
ncipal  of 
sident  of 


„ 


LIST    OP    ACADEMIES. 


345 


knowledge  of  the  common  and  higher  branches  of  an  English 
education,  with  the  elements  of  the  Greek  language.  The 
course  of  study  is  full,  and  particular  attention  is  paid  to  the 
Scriptures  in  the  original  tongues.  The  endowment  consists 
of  bonds,  notes,  &c.,  to  the  amount  of  ^^33,000,  the  interest  of 
which  is  api)lied  annually  for  the  support  of  the  Institute.  No 
tuition  is  required  of  any  student,  and  although  but  in  its  in- 
fancy, a  larger  number  of  students  are  connected  with  it,  than 
with  any  other  similar  institution  in  New  England,  excepting 
Andovcr.  The  number  of  professors  is  three,  and  of  students, 
in  July.  1851,  fifty-four.  John  Dempster,  D.D.  of  the  Black 
River  Conference,  is  the  senior  Professor,  or  I'resident. 


SECTION  III. 


] 


SEMINARIES,    ACADEMIES,    <tC. 

About  the  year  1821,  an  academy,  partly  under  ^lelhodist 
patronage,  was  established  in  New  Market,  N.  II.  ;  and  in 
1825  the  Wilbraham  Academy,  before  mentioned,  was  organ- 
ized, and  the  New  Market  Academy  was  merged  in  the  same. 
Since  that  period,  the  number  of  Methodist  seiuinaries,  acade- 
mies, and  high  schools,  of  a  respectable  literary  character,  have 
been  organized  from  tiiue  to  time,  in  ditl'erent  paits  of  the 
country.  The  following  is  a  list  of  the  same,  with  their  places 
of  location : 


Aiiicni;i  Sciiiinary, 
Fulley  '•      "    . 

Oi'lH'SOf  Wcslcyan  Sciiiiii.iry,   . 
(Jovcniciir      '■  " 

llflll|islc;iil       "  " 

New  Viifk  Ciiiircri'iici'   " 
<)iu'iil:i  ■'  " 

Joiicsvilk'  Acadi'iiij-, 
Ajibiiry  Si'ir;iriai-y, 
(in'riindd    " 
<»Hki;iii(l  I'ciiiitU'  Sfiiiinnry, 


Anii'iiia, 

I'lllhMI, 

Lima, 
(lipviTiii'iir, 

lIclllllSlc'MlI. 

Cliai'ldltcviili', 
Cazoiiovia, 

f)(ltU'>\ill('. 

(•Iiat:riii,'  I'alb 
("■r.Tiilh'lil. 


N.  Y. 


Ohio. 


w| 


li 


Hi 


m" 


340 


EnSCOPAL   METHODISM. 


Wortliington  Female  Seminary, 

Wcsleyan  Female  College, 

Ohio  Conference  High  School, 

Baldwin  Institute,         .  . 

Baker.sflelil  Academy,  .  . 

Newbury  Seminary, 

Troy  Conference  Academy, 

Wesleyan  Seminary, 

Dickens(m  College  Academy  . 

Wyoming  Seminary,     . 

Flushing  Female  Institute, 

Fort  Wayne  Female  College,    . 

Illinois  Conference  Female  Academy, 

Maine  Wesleyan  Seminary, 

Newark  Wesleyan  Institute, 

Pennington  Male  Seminary, 

Pennington  Female  Seminury, 

New  Hampshire  Conference  Seminary, 

Virginia  Academy, 

Preparatory  School, 

Providence  Conference  Academy,  . 

PLOck  Itiver  Seminary,  , 

Wcsleyan  Academy, 

Wesleyan  Fenuilo  Collegiate  Institute, 

Wesleyan  Female  Institute,  . 

Wesleyan  Seminary, 

Charlotte  Hoarding  Academy,         . 

Portland  Academy,       .  . 

Wesleyan  Semir^ary,  .  . 

Whitewater  College,      ,  , 

Indiana  Female  College,      .  . 

Xenia  Female  Seminary, 

i5altim<ire  Female  Seminary, 

Hrookville  College, 

Missouri  Conference  Seminary, 

Mount  Pleasant  Institute, 

Ohio  Wesleyan  I'^emale  College, 

Olin  Institute,    . 

Oregon  Institute, 

Paris  Methodist  Seminary, 

Georgetown  " 

Shelby 

Southern  Illinois  Conference  Seminary, 

Danville  Seminary, 

Fast  Maine  Conference  Seminary, 

Indiana  Asbury  Female  College 


Worthington,     Oliia 
Cincinnati,  " 

Spriiigflekl,  " 

Berea,  " 

Bakersfleld,  Vt. 

Newbury,  " 

West  Pdultncy,      " 
SpringHeld,  » 

Williamsport,    Pa. 
Kingston,  " 

Flushing,  L.  I. 
F'ort  Wayne,  Ind. 
Jacksonville,  111. 
Kent's  Ilili,  Me. 
Newark,         N.  J. 
Pennington,      " 

Noi'th field,  N.  IT. 
('larksburgh,  Va. 
Midiiletown,  Ct. 
Fast  Greenwich,  R.  I. 
Mount  Morris,  IlL 
WilhrMliain,  Mass. 
Wilmington,  Del. 
Staunton,  Va. 
Albion,  Mich. 
Charlotte,  N.  Y. 
Portland  Oregon. 
Peoria,  111. 
Centreville,    Ind. 
Indianapolis,    " 
Xenia.  Ohio. 
Baltimore,  Md. 
Hrookville,  Ind. 
Jackson,  Mo. 
Mount  Pleasant,  I.'wa. 
Delawiirc,  (Mpo. 
I'l.acksburgh,  Va. 
S -.lorn,  Oregon, 
Pt'.-ts  M 
Cior;."  lurtn,  111. 
".hibyville,    " 
'c.iville,         " 
Pinville,        " 
Hi.'iksport,  Me. 
.New  Albany,  Ind. 


T 


- 1 


'  f 


ton, 
Id, 


Ohio. 


Vt. 


y, 

ultncy, 
1(1, 

Iinrt,    Pa. 
1,  " 

L.I. 
yne,  Ind. 
illc,  III. 
ill,  Me. 

N.J. 
on,     " 


d,  N.  H. 
rgli,  Va. 
^vn,  Ct. 
Hiwioh,  R.  I. 
orris,  IlL 
tn,  Mass. 
on,  Del. 
Va. 
lich. 
,  N.  Y. 
Oregon. 
I. 

h\    Ind. 
>lis,    " 
lio. 
S  Md. 
3,  Ind. 
klo. 

L'lisiuit,  Is'wa. 
Ohio. 
Kli,  Va. 
vgon, 


n,  111. 


,  Me. 
ny,  Ind. 


CHAPTER   III. 

STATISTICS  OF  EPISCOPAL  METHODISM. 
SECTION  I. 

THE    NUMBER    OF    CONFERENCES,  drC. 

1.  The  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  is  embraced  in  one 
General  Conference,  which  extends  from  the  Canada  line  on 
the  north  and  north-west,  to  the  States  of  Maryland  and  Vir- 
ginia on  the  south — embracing  the  whole  of  the  former  and 
the  western  part  of  the  latter;  and  from  the  Atlantic  Ocean 
on  the  east  to  the  Pacific  on  the  west.  Prior  to  the  separa- 
tion of  the  Southern  portion  of  the  Church,  the  General  Con- 
ference embraced  the  whole  of  the  United  States  and  Terri- 
tories. At  present  the  above  are  its  geographical  limits, 
exclusive  of  foreign  missionary  ground. 

2.  The  mnnbcr  of  Annual  Conferences  represented  in  the 
General  Conference  is  thirty-eight,  exclusive  of  the  Liberia  Coh- 
fercnce.  The  following  are  the  names  of  all  the  Conferences 
in  the  Church : 


New  York, 

New  York  East, 

ProvidencG, 

New  England, 

Maine, 

East  Maine, 

New  Ilainpsliiro, 

Vermont, 

Illinois, 

Missouri, 

Ti-oy, 

Black  River, 

Oregon, 


Oneida, 

East  Genesee, 

Genesee, 

Erie, 

Pittsburgh, 

Ohio, 

Baltimore, 

Pliiladelpliia, 

Western  Virginia, 

North  Ohio, 

Michigan, 

Indiana, 

Arkaasas, 


North  Indiana, 

Rock  River, 

Wisconsin, 

Iowa, 

New  Jersey, 

ralifornia, 

AVyoming, 

Cincinnati, 

KenMicky, 

N.  W.  Indiana, 

i^.  E.  Indiana,  . 

South  Illinoia, 

Liberia  !Mimion. 


V 

f    r 


I^T^i 


,0. 


1 


» 


r,48 


El'lSCOI'AL    METHODISM. 


o.  The  nvim1)cr  of  Quarterly  Conferences  in  the  Chureh,  ii^ 
3,174,  exclusive  of  foreign  work.  Each  of  those  Quarterly 
Conferences  is  under  the  supervision  and  presidency  of  a  pres;- 
dinu  eldi>r.  About  the  same  number  of  distinct  ehar<Tes,  inclu- 
diug  circuits,  stations  and  missions,  is  embraced  in  the  work. 


SECTION  II. 


NUMnER  OF  lilSHOFS,  rilESIDING   ELDERS,  AND  TREACIIERS. 


1.  Bishops,  seven — 


liOVOl 


'i.y  ^v 


llUgll, 


Thomas  A.  Morris, 


Va] 


inuiK. 


:\8t( 


)i'ei' 


flilllCS 


Levi  Scott, 
INIattliew  Simpson, 
Osman  C.  Baker, 


Kcsidonco. 
]]altimorc,  Md. 
Cincinnati,  Ohio. 
New  York  City. 
"Wilmiiiixton,  I>ol. 
I'ittsljuru'li,  Ta. 
Concord,  N.  II. 


Ell 


\var( 


\  11.  Ames 


Imliai 


lanolin 


Time  of  CoiiKccration. 
I8o0 
1836 
1844 
1852 
1852 
1852 
In.l.  1852 


2.  Presidinjji;  Elders:  of  these  there  are  174  in  the  United 
States,  besides  two  in  Oregon  and  California,  three  in  Jjil)eria, 
and  one  in  German  \'. 


:'hei 


dd. 


land  preach- 


H.   rravcllino;  Preachers,  nielndino;  elclers,  deacons  and  prea 
ers:  of  these  there  are,  in  the  United  States  and  Uil)eria,  5,080. 

4.  Local  Preachers :  the  number  of  this  highly  useful  class 
of  men  in  the  Methodist  h]piscopal  Churcli,  exceeds  that  of  the 
travelling  ministers,  it  being,  iu  ISoO,  not  less  than  (),001 — 
making  a  totjd  of  travelling  and  local  preachers  in  the  ehurchj 


of  11,141. 


SECTION  HI. 


NTMHICK   OK  MKMI5ERS  AND   IMtOISATIONKUS. 


CoiilVrcnce. 
liallimort', 
I'hili.dc!|ihia, 
Pi'ovitleuco, 


McmluTS. 

1 

l()t»;itioiU'f3. 

('i",(',()K 

<l,4;?3 

47,r)-ii 

('.,28'.' 

12,880 

1,824 

NUMBER  OF  MEMBERS  AND  PROBATIONERS. 


349 


Conference. 

New  Jersey, 

New  Englaiul, 

New  York, 

New  Ilainitshire, 

New  York  East, 

Troy,  .  . 

Western  Virginia, 

Vermont, 

Pittsburgli, 

Black  lliver, 

Wisconsin, 

East  Maine, 

Maine, 

Erie.    . 

Rock  River, 

Nortli  Ohio, 

Oneida, 

Iowa, 

East  Genesee, 

North  Indiana, 

Missouri, 

Michigan,     . 

Ohio, 

Genesee, 

Illinois, 

Indiana, 

Liberia, 

Oregon, 

Wyoming, 

Cincinnati, 

Kentucky, 

Arkansas, 

N.  W.  Indiana, 

S.  E.  Indiana, 

South  Illinois, 

California,    . 


\Jeinbers. 

Probationers. 

31,551 

6,819 

12,482 

2,036 

23,788 

4,584 

8,869 

1,897 

21,088 

3,366 

23,126 

3,169 

15,157 

3,198 

6,475 

92S 

30,830 

4,367 

16,786 

2,532 

9,444 

1,981 

8,373 

1,907 

9,539 

1,654 

20,288 

3,645 

18,540 

3,598 

25,675 

3,548 

16,694 

2,588 

13,498 

2,477 

16,103 

2,754 

15,897 

3,418 

3,774 

725 

15,911 

2,101 

27,580 

2,466 

10,201 

1,317 

17,381 

3,290 

17,637 

3,319 

1,194 

115 

706 

215 

11,083 

2,174 

29,721 

2,604 

1,8'G 

532 

1,312 

465 

12,218 

1.993 

17,778 

2,932 

13,076 

3,141 

1,274 

114 

i    f. 


f  m 


In  addition  to  the  above,  there  are  28,139  colored  members 
and  probationers — making  the  total  number  of  members  and 
probationers  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  755,916. 
which,  being  added  to  the  11,141  preachers,  as  stated  in  the 
preceding  section,  will  give  the  total  number  of  members,  pro- 
bationers, and  preachers,  at  767,057. 


'^bO 


EPISCOPAL   MElilODISM. 


SECTION  IV. 


STATISTICS    OF    Tils'        "^^HODIST    EPISCOPAL    CHURCH    SOUTK. 

It  seeras  proper  that  we  should  give,  in  this  chapter,  a  co»- 
•ensed  statement  of  the  statistics  of  this  branch  of  the  Metlio- 
dist  Episcopal  Church,  inasmuch  as  it  occupies  as  its  field  of 
operations  so  large  a  portion  of  the  United  States.  It  has  one 
General  Conference,  and  twenty  Annual  Conferences,  all  being 
in  the  Southern  and  South-western  slaveholding  States.  It  has 
four  bishops :  Joshua  Soule,  James  0.  Andrew,  William  Ca- 
pers, and  Robert  Paine ;  the  two  former  having  been  bishops 
of  the  Methodist  Episco[)al  Church  previous  to  the  separation, 
and  the  two  latter  having  been  elected  since  that  period. 
They  have  also  a  Book  Concern  at  Charleston,  S.  C,  with  a 
Branch  Concern  at  Louisville,  Ky.  They  publish  five  weekly 
papers,  namely,  the  Southern  Christian  Advocate,  at  Charles- 
ton ;  the  Richmond  Christian  Advocate,  at  Richmond,  Va. ; 
the  Nashville  and  Louisville  Christian  Advocate,  at  Louisville ; 
the  Ilolston  Christian  Advocate,  at  Knoxville,  Tenn. ;  and  the 
Texas  Wesleyan  Banner,  at  Houston,  Texas.  Besides  these, 
they  issue  from  the  press  at  Richmond,  the  Southern  Metho- 
dist Quarterly  Review ;  from  the  press  at  Nashville,  the 
Southern  Ladies'  Companion ;  and  from  the  press  at  Charles- 
ton, the  Sunday  School  Visitor. 

The  Church  South  has  a  very  efficient  Missionary  Society, 
the  head-quarters  of  which  is  at  Louisville.  The  number  of 
missionaries  among  the  destitute  white  population,  is  117; 
among  the  colored  population,  104;  among  the  Indians,  39; 
amuiig  the  Cermans,  8 ;  two  in  China,  and  three  in  Califor- 
nia. These  missions  embrace  a  total  membership  of  59,540 
souls.  The  receipts  of  the  past  year,  1850,  were  about 
$80,000.* 

*  The  receipts  for  the  year  1852-53  amounted  to  $127,628.  Mis- 
sions, 271;  missionaries,  244. 


iOUTK. 

,  a  cott- 
Metho- 
Geld  of 
has  one 
11  being 
It  has 
iam  Ca- 
bishops 
paration, 
,  period. 
,,  with  a 
e  weekly 
Charles- 
nd,  Va.; 
juisville ; 
and  the 
es  these, 
Metho- 
nlle,  the 
Charles- 
Society, 
umber  of 
is  llT; 
ians,  39 ; 
n  CaUfor- 
f  59,540 
re   about 

628.     Mia- 


SUMMAKV  Of  KPISCOPAL  METHODISM.  351 

This  Chiuvh  has  also  a  number  of  flourishing  Colleges  and 
Universities:  Emory  College,  Ga,;  Emory  and  Henry  College, 
Va.;  La  Grange  College,  Ala, ;  Centenary  College,  Miss. ;  Ran- 
dolph Macon  College,  Va.;  and  Transylvania  University,  Ky. 

The  number  of  ministers  in  the  travelling  connection  at  the 
South,  is  1865;  in  the  local  ranks,  4,455;  the  membership 
luimbers  573,252.  They  have  1,262  Sunday  Schools;  7,409 
teachers ;  and  44,500  scholars.  Jn  regard  to  the  latter  insti- 
tution, they  are  fiir  behind  their  Northei'n  brethren,  while  in 
some  other  respects  their  statistics  show  very  favorably. 

SECnON  V. 

SUMMARY  OF  EPISCOPAL  METHODISM  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES, 
NORTH  AND  SOUTH. 

1.  General  Conferences,  c»c.,      ...  2 

Annual  Conferences, 58 

Bishops, 14 

Travelling  Ministers. 6,1)45 

Local                "           10,516 

Total  Preachers,      ......  17,461 

Members  and  Probationers,  with 

Preachers  added, 1,346,629 

2.  Sunday  Schools  in  AL  E.  Church,  9,429 

Teachers, 102,579 

Scholars,        523,890 

3.  Missions: 

Missionaries, 854 

Mission  Members,       ....  70,697 

Expended  last  year,     ....  $338,075 

4.  Education  : 

Colleges  and  I  Universities.      .     .  15 

Seminaries,  &c.,  in  M.  E.  Church,  57 

(No  report  from  the  South,) 

Biblical  Institute, 1 


» 


362  ki'iscopai.  methodism. 

5.   Rklioious  Pkiuodicals  : 

Wwkly, 11 

Monthly, 6 

Quarterly, 2 

Individual  and  unoflicial, 6 


SECTION  VI. 

TABLE    OF    MINISTERS    AND    MEMBERS    OF    EACH    METHODIST 
DENOMINATION    IN    THE    UNITED    STATES. 


1.  M.  E.  Church, 

2.  M.  E.  Church  South, 
n.  Prot.  M(!th.  Church, 

4.  Wos.  Mcth.  Church, 

5.  African  M.  E.  Church, 
().  African  Methodist  Zion, 


Trav.  Preiichers. 
5,080 
1,805 
807 
400 
108 
200 


Local  Proiichors.    Members. 

0,001    755,010 


4,455 

1,141 

800 


573,252 

05,008 

80,000 

20,740 

5,000 


Total,       .     .     .     H,545 
Local  Preachers,     .     . 
Travclliiig  Preachers, 

Grand  Total,      .     .     . 


11,057      1,455,022 
.     .     .         11,057 

.     .     .  8,545 


1,470,424 


From  the  above  it  will  be  seen,  that  the  number  of  Meth- 
odist ministers,  travelling  and  local,  in  the  United  States,  is  over 
20,000 ;  and  that  the  number  of  members,  including  the  min- 
isters, belonging  to  all  the  Methodist  Churches  in  the  Union,  ap- 
proximates toward  a  million  and  a  half  of  souls. 


11 

6 

2 
0 


ODIST 


Moinbera. 

755,916 
573,252 

05,008 

80,000 

20,740 

5,000 

,455,922 
11,957 

8,545 

,470,424 

of  Meth- 
!s,  is  over 
the  min- 
Jnion,  ap- 


KNGLISII    ANU    CANADIAN    METHUDISM.  353 

SECTION  VII. 

ENOLISII     VNI)    CANADIAN    METHODISM. 

1.  Wesleyan  Methoilist  Church  :  Eni^land. 
The  following   table  will  show  the  statistics  of  this  branch 
of  the  Methodist  Church  : 


Circuits. 

Trav.  Preucliera. 

Mombors. 

England, 

380 

1,080 

331,250 

Wales, 

35 

77 

10,210 

Scotland, 

13 

25 

2,934 

Ireland, 

70 

157 

21,107 

British  Islands 

10 

29 

7,883 

Foreign  Missions, 

30S 

399 

97,801 

824 


1,773  477,245 


The  Wesleyan  Methodist  Missionary  Society  extends  its 
operations  to  nearly  every  part  of  the  world.  The  receipts  of 
the  Society  for  the  year  1850,  were  8502,775,  averaging  more 
than  a  dollar  for  each  member,  including  those  on  missions. 

2.  Primitive  Methodist  Chui'ch  :  P^ngland — Ci-  ,.iits,  303  ; 
Travelling  Preachers,  551  ;  Local  Preachers,  9,077 ;  Members, 
108,781. 

3.  New  Connection  Methodist  t  England — 130  Travelling 
Preachers;  '"!,0G2  Members. 

4.  Wesleyan  Association  :  England — 97  Travelling  Preach- 
ers;  22,178  Members. 

5.  Wesleyan  Methodist  Church:  Canada — Circuits,  127; 
Travelling  Preachers,  204  ;  Members,  20,213. 

6.  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  :  Canada — Bishops,  2  ;  Cir- 
cuits, 58  ;  Travelling  Preachers,  103  ;  Local  Preachers,  105 ; 
Members,  8,500. 


'. 


1^ 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


4^ 


1.0 


1.1 


1^1 


L£|M    125 
■ii   liii    12.2 

S    IAS    IIP 

WUu 


Hiotographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


;\ 


23  WtST  MAIN  STRliT 

WIBSTiR,N.Y.  I49M 

(716)  •72-4503 


'4^ 


1 


^v 


354 


EPISCOPAL  METHODISM. 


n                                  sEorioN  VIII. 

■•                                     RECAPITULATION  OF  STATISTICS. 

Trav.  Preachers.    Local  Preachers 

In  the  United  States,             8,545             11,957 
In  England,  &c.,                    2,551              9,077* 
In  Canada,                               307                 105 

Members. 
1,455,922 
630,266 
34,713 

Total,           11,403 
Add  Preachers, 

21,139 

2,120,901 
32,542 

2,153,443 

AS  IT  is"  with  '*  Methodism  as  it  was"  a  century  ago,  we 
are  led  to  exclaim,  "  What  hath  God  wrought !"  and  while 
the  success  of  Methodism,  and  especially  of  Episcopal  Metho- 
dism, demands  our  heartfelt  gratitude,  we,  as  Methodists, 
should  be  incited  to  humility,  and  to  increased  activity  in 
the  glorious  work  of  spreading  "  Scripture  holiness"  throughout 
these  and  all  other  lands.    "  Be  not  high-minded,  but  fear." 

*  There  are  no  returns  of  Local  Preachers  from  the  Wesleyans  in 
England  or  Canada. 


V 


APPEND!.:  I. 


Statistics  showing  state  of  Methodism  under  various 
names  in  the  world  in  1875. 


VABIOUS  METHODIST  CHURCHES  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


Churches.                      Trav.  Preachers. 

Local  Preachers. 

Lay  Membem. 

Methodist  Episcopal, 

10,923 

12,881 

1,580,559 

Methodist  Epis.,  South, 

3,370 

5,341 

667,884 

Colored  Meth.  Epis., 

635 

683 

67,C84 

African  Meth.  Epis., 

600 

1,300 

201,000 

African  Meth.  Epis.  Zion, 

694 

1,416 

164,100 

Evangelical  Association, 

737 

480 

90,250 

United  Brethren, 

968 

741 

120,440 

17,927 


22,842   2,892,117 


NON-EPISCOPAL 

• 

Churches. 

Trav 

Preachers. 

Local  Preachers. 

Lay  Membei 

Frimitive  Methqdist, 

20 

25 

2,000 

American  Wesleyan, 

250 

190 

20,004 

Free  Methodist, 

90 

80 

6,110 

The  Methodist  Church 

1 

624 

310 

66,000 

Methodist  Protestant, 

423 

250 

65,520 

1,407 


855 


159,614 


fi^imm^^ymmfm^lHmii^ 


ffi^imm^m^'mif^. 


^ 


356 


APPENDIX. 


VARIOUS  OTHBR  WESLEYAN  CONNECTIONS  AND  OTHER  METHO- 
DS! CHURCHES  IN  OTHER  COUNTRIES. 


Trav.  Preachers. 

Local  Preachers. 

Lay  Members 

British  Wesley  an  Conf., 

1,715 

13,720 

376,439 

Irish  Wesleyan  Conf., 

152 

760 

20,740 

French  Wesleyan  Conf., 

28 

96 

2,112 

Australian  VVes.  Church, 

348 

1,438 

66,686 

Primitive  Meth.  Church, 

1,020 

14,838 

164,660 

Meth.  New  Connection, 

240 

1,270 

33,563 

United  Meth.  Free  Ch., 

358 

3,361 

66,909 

Bible  Christians, 

244 

1,747 

26,878 

Meth.  Church  of  Canada, 

1,004 

1,027 

102,887 

M.  E.  Church  of  Canada, 

236 

214 

22,641 

5,710 


38,619 


891,524 


Add  the  foregoing  together,  and  we  find  that  Methodism, 
in  its  several  branches,  numbers  25,044  travelling  preachers, 
62,316  local  preachers,  and  3,943,255  lay  members.  This  is 
the  Lord's  doing,  and  marvellous  in  our  eyes. 


i^ 


^^^^^'m'lmmmmmmmmmw 


APPENDIX  II. 

SHOWINa   STATISTICS  UP  TO   MAY,    1880. 


In  May,  1880,  the  Eighteenth  Delegated  General  Con- 
ference of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  North,  was  con- 
vened in  Pike's  Opera  House,  Cincinnati,  Ohio;  viz.,  248 
Ministerial  and  151  Lay  Delegates  (or  in  all  399). 

The  Bishops  present  were  Bishops  Scott,  Simpson,  Bow- 
man, Harris,  Foster,  Wiley,  Merrill,  Andrews,  and  Peck. 

George  W.  Woodruff  was  elected  Secretary  to  the  Con- 
ference. There  were  four  Bishops  elected,  viz.,  Henry  W. 
Warren,  Philadelphia  Conference  ;  Dr.  Foss,  New  York  Con- 
ference ;  Dr.  Hurst,  of  Newark  Conference,  and  Dr.  E.  O. 
Haven,  of  Syracuse.  The  Missionary  Secretaries  elected 
were  Drs.  J.  M.  Keid  and  Fowler.  The  Book  Agents  elected 
were  John  M.  Phillips  and  Rev.  Dr.  Hunt,  New  York ;  and 
for  Cincinnati,  Dr.  Stowe,  and  J.  M.  Walden.  Rev.  J.  M. 
Buckley,  of  New  York  East  Conference,  was  elected  editor 
of  the  Christian  Advocate,  New  York,  and  most  of  the  editors 
for  the  various  other  papers,  periodicals,  etc.,  were  re- 
elected. 


THE  STATISTICS 

for  1875  show  10,923  travelling?  preachers,  12,881  local  preach- 
ers, and  1,580,559  members,  including  probationers.  The 
statistics  for  1879  show  11,636  travelling  preachers,  12,475 
local  preachers,  and  1,700,302  members  and  probationers. 
This  exhibit  gives  an  increase  in  the  four  years  of  713  travel- 


■     \ 


358 


APPENDIX. 


ling  preachers,  and  119,743  members,  and  a  decrease  of  406 
local  preachers.  We  must  also  take  into  Consideration  that 
during  that  time  there  have  died  512  travelling  preachers 
and  78,520  members.  These  must  be  added  to  the  increase 
of  four  years,  to  show  the  actual  number  of  members  which 
have  been  received.  In  1875  there  were  15,633  church  edi- 
fices, and  5,017  parsonages,  valued  at  $81,081,862.  In  1879 
there  were  16,955  churches,  and  5,689  parsonages.  This 
shows  an  increase  in  the  number  of  churches  of  1,322,  or 
more  than  one  church  for  every  working  day  in  the  four 
years ;  and  an  increase  of  672  parsonages,  or  more  than  one 
for  every  two  working  days  in  the  same  period. 


BOOK  CONCERN. 

The  publishing  interests  of  the  Church,  the  earliest  organ- 
ized among  its  institutions,  continue  to  be  of  great  value  and 
power.  The  sales  of  books  and  periodicals  during  the  last 
four  years— 1875-1879— in  New  York,  amounted  to  $3,415,- 
016,  and  in  the  Western  Book  Concern,  to  $2,675,125— aggre- 
gating $6,090,141. 

MISSIONS. 

The  mission  cause  continues  to  occupy  its  position  of 
prominence  among  the  movements  of  the  Church,  The 
South  India  Conference,  which  was  organized  in  1876,  has 
enlarged  its  field  by  extending  in  South  India  and  Burmah. 
It  now  embraces  three  districts,  with  37  travelling  ministers, 
45  local  preachers,  and  2,169  members  and  probationers. 
The  mission  in  Japan  gives  promise  ^f  great  success.  In 
China,  the  Foochow  Conference  was  organized  in  1877,  and 
now  consists  of  6  districts  and  57  ministers,  of  whom  52  are 
native  preachers.  There  are  also  28  others  employed  as 
supplies,  making  80  native  laborers.  Some  of  these  fields 
are  self-sustaining ;  and  in  all  the  spirit  of  heroic  Christian- 
ity is  evinced  by  many  of  the  native  ministers.  In  addition 
to  the  Conference  of  Foochow,  the  mission  fields  of  North 


APPENDIX. 


359 


China  and  of  Central  China  are  also  manifesting  indications 
of  hopefuhiess  and  success.  The  missionary  cause  is  also 
successful  in  Bussia,  Turkey,  Denmark,  Africa,  Mexico, 
Rome,  etc. 

BISHOPS  OF  THE  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHUBCH. 


II 

Names. 

Bom. 

Entered  MinUtry. 

II 

Conference. 

Year. 

1764 

ThomaR  Coke 

Sept.  9, 1747 
Aug.  20.1745 
Feb.  23, 1736 
July  6,  1757 
17(i8 

Brit.  West 

Brit.  West 

Brit.  West 

M.  E.  Ch 

M.  E. Ch 

Baltimore 

New  York 

Newark 

1778 

1784 

Francis  Asbury 

1766 

1800 

Richard  Whatcoat 

1769 

1808 

William  M'Kendree 

1788 

1816 

Enoch  George 

1790 

1816 
18S4 

Robert  R.  Roberts 

Joshua  Soule 

Aug.  2,  1778 
Aug.  1,  1781 
Jan.  7,  1.80 
17;'4 

1808 
1799 

1824 

Elijah  Heddlng 

James  0.  Andrew 

1801 

1832 

S.  Carclina 

Philiulolphia  ...   . 

Baltimore 

Ohio 

1812 

1832 

John  Emory 

Apr.  11, 1789 
Oct.  8,  1789 
Apr.  29, 1794 
May  10,  1797 
Apr.  27,  1807 
Oct.  11,  1802 
June  20,1811 
July  30,  1813 
Mar.  20, 1806 
Dec.  5,  1809 
Feb.  2.5, 1812 
Oct.  12,  1810 
Oct.  11,  1802 
Sept.  8,  1812 
July  15, 1817 
Nov.  4,  1817 
Feb.  Sz,  1820 
Mni-.  29, 1825 
Sept.  16,1825 
Aug;  7,  1825 
Sept.  10,1821 
Apr.  4,  1811 
Jan.  4,  1831 
Jan.  17, 18:^4 
Aug.  17,18:^4 
Nov.  1,  1820 

1810 

1886 

Beverly  Waugh 

1609 

1&% 

Thomas  A.  Monis 

1816 

1844 

Leonidas  L.  Hamline 

Ohio.   .   

I'hiladelphia..,    . 

rhiladelphia 

Pittsburjr 

New  Hampshire.. 
Illinois 

18153 

1844 

Edmund  S.  Janes 

1830 

1852 

Levi  Scott 

1826 

1862 

Matthew  Simpson 

1883 

1862 

Osmon  C.  Baker 

1839 

1862 

Edward  R.  Ames 

Francis  Burns 

laso 

1868 

Liberia 

1888 

1864 

Davis  Wasgatt  Clark 

New  York 

Ohio 

1843 

1864 

Edward  Thomson 

1825 

1864 

Calvin  Kingsley 

Erie 

1841 

1866 

John  W.  Roberts 

Liberia 

1838 

1872 

Thomas  Bowman 

Baltimore 

Michigan 

Ohio 

Philadelphia 

Ohio 

1839 

1872 

William  L.  Harris   

1837 

1872 

Randolph  S.  Foster 

1837 

1872 

Isaac  W.  Wiley 

1849 

1872 

Stephen  M.  Merrill 

1846 

1872 

Edward  G.  Andrews 

Oneida 

1848 

1872 

Gilbert  Ha\en 

New  England .... 
Oneida 

1851 

1872 

Jesse  T.  Peck 

1832 

1880 

Henry  W.  Warren 

New  England.... 

New  York 

Newark 

1865 

1880 

Cyrus  D.  Foss 

1867 

1880 

John  F.  Hurst 

1869 

1880 

Erastus  0.  Haven 

New  York 

1848 

;1 


I 


END. 


